By Ray Sparvell
Alannah MacTierna will quit federal politics at the next election but is adamant she will not challenge for the WA Labor leadership.
Labor sources told WAtoday this week that key party powerbrokers were plotting the demise of leader Mark McGowan, despite recent polls showing he was more more popular with WA voters than Premier Colin Barnett.
Alannah MacTiernan says she won't challenge WA Labor leader Mark McGowan.Credit: Alex Ellinghausen
Ms MacTiernan, 63, is an experienced political campaigner but it's understood she quit because she believed her ability to influence events in Canberra was limited, not because of any other ambitions.
"I am completely and utterly supporting Mark McGowan," she told Radio 6PR on Friday afternoon.
"I think he's doing a bloody fabulous job, people are seeing they have a real alternative. My decision to not contest federal Perth has nothing to do with that.
"Mark McGowan is a very healthy young man and I have every expectation his health will hold out until the election."
Although she didn't completely back Mr McGowan, Ms MacTiernan was adamant the incumbent was going okay.
"I honestly don't think that would be a position I would want to take... I think Mark McGowan is doing an excellent job, there are a couple of other people within the caucus who are capable of taking it on," she said.
"I'm not going to mention names; I think it would be very sad if there were not a couple of people who could be leadership aspirants.
"The Labor party has to get behind Mark McGowan. He has got what it takes to be the next premier of WA.
Anything I can do to help him, I'll be doing that."
She said she had no regrets about her time in Canberra.
"No one could ever regret having had an opportunity to represent their community in the federal parliament," she said.
"I am not whingeing. It has been an extraordinary opportunity to participate in the federal debate.
"If I was at the beginning of my political career, I could afford to be more patient in this regard."
Ms MacTiernan believed it was more sensible to pass on the baton to someone who could build a bigger role over the next decade.
"I know there are quality candidates waiting in the wings – and I know we can and will win the confidence of the people of Perth at the next election," she said.
"I will inevitably be asked whether I will return to state politics – and I have learnt to never say never."
The ALP holds just three out of 15 federal seats in WA, with lawyer Tim Hammond mooted as a contender for the seat of Perth.