Jonathan Huston, the Member for Nedlands, has resigned from the WA Liberal Party to serve as an independent parliamentarian.

Nedlands 區議員 Jonathan Huston 已退出西澳自由黨，將以獨立議員身份任職。

The departure of Mr. Huston, who secured the Nedlands seat during the 2025 state election with a 5.8 per cent swing, has resulted in a numerical parity between the Liberal and National parties in the lower house, with each now holding six seats. Despite this equilibrium, WA Nationals leader Shane Love has indicated that he will not contest the leadership of the opposition. Mr. Love cited a previous parliamentary precedent from 2023, wherein the Speaker maintained the existing leadership structure despite a parity in seat numbers, suggesting that Basil Zempilas will remain the official leader of the opposition.

Huston 先生在 2025 年州選舉中，憑藉 5.8% 的票數轉向成功贏得 Nedlands 選區，而他的離開導致下議院中自由黨與國家黨的人數持平，雙方目前各持有六個席位。儘管人數相等，但西澳國家黨領袖 Shane Love 表示，他不會爭奪反對黨領袖之位。Love 先生引用了 2023 年的一項議會先例，當時議長在席位數目持平的情況下，仍維持原有的領導結構，暗示 Basil Zempilas 將繼續擔任反對黨正式領袖。

Institutional friction preceded the resignation. Mr. Zempilas previously characterized Mr. Huston's circulation of a critical paper regarding the AUKUS submarine agreement as an improper method of policy debate. Furthermore, the administration of the Liberal Party, via State Director Simon Morgan, asserted that the resignation constitutes a breach of loyalty toward the volunteer branch members who facilitated Mr. Huston's election. Mr. Zempilas further specified that the schism is rooted in divergent policy trajectories, specifically regarding Mr. Huston's advocacy for increased mining royalties—a position the Liberal Party explicitly rejects.

在辭職之前，黨內已存在制度性摩擦。Zempilas 先生先前將 Huston 先生傳閱關於 AUKUS 潛艇協議批評文件的行為，定調為不恰當的政策辯論方式。此外，自由黨行政部門透過州總幹事 Simon Morgan 主張，此次辭職構成了對協助 Huston 先生當選的志願分會成員之忠誠違背。Zempilas 先生進一步指出，分裂根源於政策走向分歧，特別是 Huston 先生主張增加採礦權利金，而此立場為自由黨明確拒絕的。

Regarding potential political realignments, One Nation WA leader Rod Caddies stated that while no formal approach has been made by Liberal MPs, the party remains open to cooperation with any member whose values align with their platform. This follows reports that Mr. Huston had previously expressed gratitude on social media toward a suggestion that he join One Nation. In response to the vacancy, Mr. Zempilas has affirmed that the Liberal Party will vigorously contest the Nedlands seat in 2029, a constituency that has historically remained a Liberal stronghold since 1950, with the exception of a brief four-year tenure by the Labor Party.

關於潛在的政治重新對齊，One Nation 西澳領袖 Rod Caddies 表示，雖然尚未收到自由黨議員的正式接觸，但該黨對任何價值觀與其平台一致的成員均持合作開放態度。此前有報導稱，Huston 先生曾在社交媒體上對加入 One Nation 的建議表示感謝。針對此空缺，Zempilas 先生確認自由黨將在 2029 年全力爭奪 Nedlands 席位，該選區自 1950 年以來一直是自由黨的堅固堡壘，僅有短暫四年的工黨執政期。

Mr. Huston continues to hold his seat as an independent, while the Liberal Party has redistributed his former shadow portfolios among other members.

Huston 先生將繼續以獨立議員身份保留其席位，而自由黨已將他原先負責的影子內閣職務重新分配給其他成員。