"Exhausted" Premier Mark McGowan calls it quits
Western Australia Premier Mark McGowan has announced he is stepping down as premier and member for Rockingham after six years, saying he is “exhausted”.
McGowan announced his resignation after calling a snap press conference in Perth and read out a “brief statement” to reporters.
"Today I am announcing that I will be stepping down as Premier and member for Rockingham," the statement read.
"I was elected premier of Western Australia in March 2017, more than six years ago. Prior to that I served as Opposition Leader for more than six years.
"Now is the right time to step away from the job I love.”
McGowan said he is stepping down partly because he is confident Labor will win the next state election.
"I'm tired, extremely tired. In fact, I'm exhausted," he said.
"The role of political leadership does not stop, it is relentless, with huge responsibility but it is all consuming, each and every day. And combined with the COVID-19 years, it has taken it out of me.
"I'm convinced WA Labor can win and will win the next election in 2025. But I just don't have the energy or drive that is required to continue in the role as Premier.”
He revealed he had been considering stepping down for a while, and will take a break after he finishes.
"It is not a decision I have taken lightly, I've been considering it for quite a while," he said.
"I will leave Parliament and leave the role by the end of this week. It will be up to my colleagues to select my replacement.
"I don't want to finish work completely. Once I am rested and recuperated, I will look for something else to do.”
McGowan thanked his wife Sarah and three children, Samuel, Alexander and Amelia, for their support over the years.
"To my family can I pass on my love and thanks, being Premier takes a huge toll on family life," he said.
"Thank you for every thing over so many hard years.”
The politician added that he is a “phone call away” should his successor ever need advice.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said he had spoken to McGowan and congratulated him on his retirement, commending the work he’s done for Western Australia.
"Mark leaves office as he led, on his own terms and as his own man. He has been a great Premier of his proud state, an extraordinary leader for WA Labor and a trusted friend," Albanese said.
"Above all, Mark will be remembered for seeing the people of Western Australia safely through one of the most challenging crises in our nation's history. In unprecedented times, Mark always held to his convictions and always sought to do the right thing by his state.
"I wish Mark, Sarah and their family all the very best for the next chapter of their lives.”
Throughout his time as state leader, McGowan has faced several challenges including threats against himself and his family, and pressure over his strict handling of Covid-19.
In November 2021, McGowan and his family had considered moving out of their home in Rockingham after threats were allegedly made against them.
Police charged two men over phone calls made to the state premier, which allegedly included threats to behead his wife and children.
“In terms of my own family, obviously it’s not pleasant. It’s not very nice and I just urge the people doing it to stop,” McGowan told reporters at the time.
According to police, a 20-year-old from Canning Vale and an 18-year-old from Harrisdale allegedly called the premier personally and issued threats via voicemail.
McGowan copped serious backlash for mandating vaccinations and locking down WA’s borders during the pandemic.
Despite the criticism, the WA government continued to pursue a 90 per cent vaccination rate.
“It’s not going to change our approach. We’re going to continue to work to get West Australians vaccinated,” he said.
“We’re going to continue with the rules we’ve put in place because that is what is needed.”
McGowan has also been approached and verbally abused by protesters on several occasions.
He was confronted by Covid-19 protesters opposed to mandatory vaccinations, with a mob seen swarming his car.
The encounter was captured on video and the premier is seen walking to his car before he was descended upon by a group shouting and holding signs.
A woman attempted to approach the premier and his security, demanding he “give us our jobs back”.
As the politician stepped into his car, the group called him a “f***ing coward” while banging on the vehicle’s windows.
“Aren’t you down here to convince us?” one woman yelled.
“We will rise up,” another remarked as he drove off.
McGowan was also involved in a legal battle, with mining magnate Clive Palmer taking him and the state of WA to court multiple times during the pandemic.
Both men fell short of a victory in the defamation trial after they sued each other in the NSW Federal Court, with $5,000 in damage awarded to Palmer and $20,000 to McGowan.
“Both men went too far in their political jousting and both men litigated, but only one was willing to draw back and avoid the long and costly hearing,” Justice Michael Lee said after the trial.
Palmer had claimed that the politician defamed him in multiple comments including that he was a “threat” to WA.
McGowan countersued Palmer’s claims that he “lied” to the public about Covid-19, among several other comments.
The defamation trial came about after Palmer lost his High Court battle with WA over its harsh border.
Palmer sought $30 billion from the state after claiming that legislation introduced but WA Labor was unconstitutional.
The bill amended a 2002 state agreement with Palmer’s Mineralogy company and was designed to bar him from suing over a decision by the previous Liberal government to not assess one of his mining projects.
“Time and time again, Clive Palmer has attempted to bring our state down – first, by challenging the hard border that kept Western Australians safe through a pandemic, and then by launching an outrageous legal claim for damages,” the politician said in a social media post.
Palmer responded to McGowan’s resignation on Twitter with, “Goodbye, Mark McGowan, Goodbye.”
In addition to the considerable obstacles he’s faced, McGowan was also involved in a car accident.
The premier was fortunately uninjured, and the woman who hit him was on her way to her first day at a new job.
Despite hearing a large bang, McGowan said there was only minor damage to the car.
“I’m fine. It wasn’t that bad,” he told Seven West Media.
“We were just coming around a corner and another car sort of hit us, it felt worse than it was.
“It was all very dramatic, I think, for her, but she was great. She was good-humoured, a bit shaken up, a bit shocked but we had a good chat.”
Image credit: Getty