Has the premier banned the lord mayor?

The premier has denied there is a growing rift between his office and the office of Perth's lord mayor, after Basil Zempilas was left out of another significant city announcement.

Mark McGowan, revealing that land behind the Perth Concert Hall will become home to multi-million dollar Aboriginal cultural centre, was asked by reporters why the city's mayor wasn't invited to the press conference.

Cr Zempilas' absence from today's event, and other major city announcements by the government, has been conspicuous.

But the premier said not inviting him was "normal practice" given the project is being funded by the state and federal governments.

"When there are projects that are joint-state, local (government) we will have local government representatives at the event," Mr McGowan said.

"That's state government land and this is state and federal government money. It's par for the course."

Mr McGowan claimed he'd done many joint events with the lord mayor and that he would provide a list.

Cr Zempilas called his own press conference soon after, and said the council fully-supported the choice of location for the Aboriginal centre.

He also said he couldn't recall a time when he'd been invited to a press conference with the premier, unlike mayors of other councils.

"If there are any issues then they are not issues from my side of the fence," the lord mayor said.

"I've said many times before that I am not starved of the opportunity to be in front of a camera or have my say in other forums. 

"I'm certain that if I needed to or wanted to I can get the message out there."

The Lord Mayor was not officially included in the government's Perth to Rome direct flight delegation nor was he invited to a Perth City Deal announcement with the premier and prime minister ahead of the last federal election. 

"If the premier was here now I'd wander up and say g'day and I'm sure he'd wander up and say g'day back."

On Monday evening, the premier's office provided a list of events where City of Perth and government representatives attended.

They included the Australian Masters Games opening ceremony with the deputy premier Roger Cook in April and the swearing in of the new governor in July.

Cr Zempilas was asked if his relationship with the premier's office had cooled after the City of Perth changed its commitment to the WACA ground redevelopment by opting not to take on the running of a new swimming pool.

"I couldn't imagine that the state government would be petty like that," he said. 

There has also been continuing speculation that Cr Zempilas will run for the Liberal Party at the next state election.

"I am not a Labor supporter, I am not a Liberal supporter," he said.

"The role of mayor is apolitical. I've never been a member of any political party. I love this role and I intend to stand again in October next year."