Mia heads up Nationals

The former deputy leader was given the party’s top job at a party room meeting on Tuesday of last week, taking the reins from Brendon Grylls who lost his seat of Pilbara at the March 11 State election.

Mining and Pastoral Region MLC Jacqui Boydell replaces Ms Davies as the deputy leader.

Ms Davies said she was humbled to be given the opportunity to lead the party.

“The Nationals WA have been a force in WA politics for 100 years and I’m confident our team will continue to build on our history and proud record of achievement on behalf of all regional West Australians,” Ms Davies said.

“I’m very proud of the role that women have played in the National Party, both in the parliamentary party but also behind the scenes, we’ve always had really strong women in our organisation and from my perspective I don’t know any different.”

Ms Davies said she was committed to protecting the Royalties for Regions program under the newly-elected Labor government.

“As new leader I am firmly committed to continuing this fight to make sure regional WA isn’t left behind under a Labor government,” she said.

“The test will be for (new Agriculture and Food Minister) Alannah MacTiernan in a cabinet full of metropolitan members of parliament with big commitments to make good on, to hold on to that resource and make sure that it’s being spent appropriately on diversifying the economy, meeting the needs of regional West Australians and delivering on that hope and promise that we have managed to secure for them for the past eight years.”

Ms Davies said the party would continue to push for the mining sector to pay its fair share and believed the controversial campaign to increase a State levy on iron ore miners BHP and Rio Tinto was the right call.

“I think the platform that we’ve had for the past eight months has been the right one and so our conversation with the electorate will continue to be the same.

“Our team is strong and we have a job to do, it’s now time to get on with it.”