Zak Kirkup

Zak Kirkup
35th Leader of the Opposition
in Western Australia
Elections: 2021
In office
24 November 2020 – 13 March 2021
PremierMark McGowan
DeputyLibby Mettam
Preceded byLiza Harvey
Succeeded byMia Davies
Leader of the Liberal Party of Western Australia
In office
24 November 2020 – 13 March 2021
DeputyLibby Mettam
Preceded byLiza Harvey
Succeeded byDavid Honey
Member of the Western Australian Legislative Assembly
for Dawesville
In office
11 March 2017 – 13 March 2021
Preceded byKim Hames
Succeeded byLisa Munday
Party positions
Manager of Opposition Business
In office
27 June 2019 – 24 November 2020
LeaderLiza Harvey
Preceded byDean Nalder
Succeeded byPeter Katsambanis
Deputy State Director
of Campaign Support
In office
2008 – 2015
Serving with Ben Morton
LeaderColin Barnett
Succeeded bySam Calabrese
Personal details
Born (1987-02-23) 23 February 1987 (age 37)
Midland, Western Australia
Political partyLiberal
ResidenceSubiaco, Western Australia
EducationGovernor Stirling Senior High School
Alma materMurdoch University
OccupationConsultant, business owner
ProfessionPolicy 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.

  1. ^ Bell, Frances. "Zak Kirkup elected new WA Liberal Party leader after Dean Nalder's last-minute withdrawal". ABC News. Retrieved 24 November 2020.
  2. ^ "Zak Kirkup becomes first WA major party leader to lose his seat in 88 years". Nine News Perth. Retrieved 14 March 2021.