Opposition Leader Eric Ripper maintains he has the numbers to see off a challenge for his job from treasury spokesman Ben Wyatt.
Opposition Leader Eric Ripper maintains he has the numbers to see off a challenge for his job from treasury spokesman Ben Wyatt.
Mr Ripper will convene a special caucus meeting for next Tuesday so Labor MPs can vote on the issue after Mr Wyatt announced his challenge yesterday.
The challenge followed two days of damaging in-party friction after the member for Pilbara, Tom Stephens, sent an email to fellow Labor MPs promoting a spill motion against Mr Ripper at a caucus retreat on February 10.
Mr Wyatt canvassed colleagues over the past two days before making his decision.
He told reporters he was "confident there was strong appetite for change" and that he was the candidate to bring that about and make sure Liberal Premier Colin Barnett's "unfair government" was held to account.
Mr Barnett refused to be drawn on the leadership spill as he updated the media on the preparations for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting with Prime Minister Julia Gillard.
The Premier said he had been in Mr Ripper's position and that opposition was a tough position to be in but refused to speculate on who he thought would win the challenge.
"I'll face whoever is elected leader," he said.
"That's politics."
In town for the CHOGM announcement, Prime Minister Julia Gillard also refused to be drawn on the matter, saying it was a decision for state party members to make.
Mr Ripper told reporters he was disappointed by the challenge and he believed Mr Wyatt had made a mistake and did not have the numbers.
The opposition leader said he retained strong support to continue as leader and Mr Wyatt knew that.
"He's been told that by people who know how the caucus works, nevertheless he's decided to go ahead with this challenge," Mr Ripper said.
Mr Wyatt said he had asked Mr Ripper to convene a special caucus meeting within two days but Mr Ripper said party rules meant it would be held next Tuesday.
"I'll certainly be strongly supporting the continuation of my leadership," Mr Ripper said.
"I think it would be a wrong move for the Labor Party to elect Mr Wyatt.
"I have the experience to lead this state and I have the talent in my team, if they work together, to provide a very effective government."
Mr Wyatt, elected to parliament in 2006 and with no ministerial experience in government, said he wanted to ensure a revamped and united Labor Party effectively took on the Barnett coalition government.
"It's my view I am the best candidate to do that," he said.
"I represent clearly what is generational change for the Labor Party.
"This is not about denigrating Eric, this is not about attacking Eric, this is about offering a different view."
Mr Wyatt said continuing speculation over the leadership was destabilising for the party.
"I wouldn't be sticking my hand up if I didn't think I would get strong support for change," he said.
Opinion polls have been consistently against Mr Ripper.
A Newspoll survey published on Friday showed 60 per cent of voters preferred Mr Barnett as premier compared with just 16 per cent for the opposition leader.
Mr Ripper said on Wednesday he would like Mr Wyatt to be part of his team.
"He's got plenty of time to exercise his leadership ambitions in the future," he said.
"I do think he's a potential future leader of the party."
Labor's state development spokesman Mark McGowan has also been seen as a contender for Mr Ripper's job, but on Wednesday he ruled out being a challenger.
