Zak Kirkup | |||||||||||||||||||||||
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35th Leader of the Opposition in Western Australia Elections: 2021 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
In office 24 November 2020 – 13 March 2021 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Premier | Mark McGowan | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Deputy | Libby Mettam | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Preceded by | Liza Harvey | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Succeeded by | Mia Davies | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Leader of the Liberal Party of Western Australia | |||||||||||||||||||||||
In office 24 November 2020 – 13 March 2021 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Deputy | Libby Mettam | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Preceded by | Liza Harvey | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Succeeded by | David Honey | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Member of the Western Australian Legislative Assembly for Dawesville | |||||||||||||||||||||||
In office 11 March 2017 – 13 March 2021 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Preceded by | Kim Hames | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Succeeded by | Lisa Munday | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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Personal details | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Born | Midland, Western Australia | 23 February 1987||||||||||||||||||||||
Political party | Liberal | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Residence | Subiaco, Western Australia | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Education | Governor Stirling Senior High School | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Alma mater | Murdoch University | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Occupation | Consultant, business owner | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Profession | Policy advisor Politician | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Zak Richard Francis Kirkup (born 23 February 1987) is an Australian former politician. He was a member of the Western Australian Liberal Party, and served as a member for the Western Australian Legislative Assembly for the electoral district of Dawesville from 2017 to 2021.
In November 2020, Kirkup was elected as the leader of the Western Australian Liberal Party and became Leader of the Opposition.[1] He led the party into the 2021 state election, in which they were defeated in a wipeout loss. He made the unprecedented decision to concede defeat two weeks prior to the election taking place. He lost his own seat of Dawesville to Labor's Lisa Munday, becoming the first major party leader in Western Australia to lose his seat in 88 years.[2] Shortly after the election, Kirkup announced his resignation from politics.