Basil’s ‘10 things’ megaphone may be about to be taken from him

It’s been the thorn in the WA Labor government’s side for several years – 10 bullet points shot from the hip of Perth Lord Mayor and Liberal candidate for Churchlands Basil Zempilas published in a daily newspaper every Friday.

The tactic has been deployed during two successful mayoral campaigns and now his state politics tilt, but could Basil’s Top Ten column’s days be numbered?

WAtoday understands The West Australian is considering the future of the column. WA Labor has heard the same.

The Seven West Media personality has been authoring the column in The West Australian every Friday since 2019.

But his media profile and the stream of column inches in The West Australian has incensed Labor ministers, who have been applying pressure on his employer to scrap it – particularly as the March state election nears.

Since announcing his intention to run for the WA Liberals for the seat of Churchlands in January this year, his column has become increasingly political and has offered him a megaphone to shout down critics.

In last week’s column, Zempilas – who also used to host 6PR and Triple M’s breakfast shows – used his first three points to explain his position following the failed leadership challenge of Liberal leader Libby Mettam and turned the cannon on the Cook cabinet.

“In the middle of one of those breathless ‘head is about to explode’ rants this week, [Housing Minister John Carey] called for my resignation as Lord Mayor. I’ll be right thanks John. But while we’re on the subject of people managing two things at once, how’s Premier Roger Cook’s chief of staff who is also the Labor candidate for Landsdale going?” point two reads.

In the last few weeks of parliament, Police Minister Paul Papalia began referring to the column as Zempilas’ “Ten Commandments”.