WEST Australian Liberal leader Colin Barnett will meet Brendon Grylls today to try to woo the National Party leader in a bid to form government after Saturday`s hung Parliament shock.
Perthnow reports Mr Barnett - who revealed today he was still surprised by the huge swing to the Liberal Party in the election - said deputies Kim Hames and Norman Moore will also be involved in discussions.
"I expect Brendon and I will have a very amicable discussion and he is a pivotal position, but he is also in a position of bearing a great responsiblity,`` Mr Barnett told radio 6PR.
When counting ended on Saturday night, Labor appeared unlikely to win more than 27 seats in the 59-member parliament, while the Liberals may end up with fewer than that and are certain to require the support of the four successful National MPs, and possibly an independent.
There was no counting of the ballots yesterday.
Labor has not ruled out the possibility of winning 28 seats and forming government with the help of an independent.
Mr Barnett said he understood six seats were still in doubt.
Meanwhile, Labor`s coast-to-coast grip on state and federal government, as well as Premier Alan Carpenter`s, is also in the hands of 35-year-old WA Nationals leader Brendon Grylls.
Mr Grylls, whose Nationals seem set to hold the balance of power after Saturday`s state election, has vowed to hand power in WA to whichever major party is willing to send wealth from the resources boom back to the bush.
Premier Alan Carpenter, who suffered a 6 per cent swing against his Government in Saturday`s election, yesterday sought to strike an unlikely power-sharing deal with Brendon Grylls`s Nationals in the hope of forming a minority government.
Resurgent Liberal leader Colin Barnett, who put aside plans of retirement to contest the election, will meet Mr Grylls today, in order to try to lock in the four seats the Nationals are expected to win.
Mr Grylls, a 35-year-old "country to the bootstraps" father of one, has promised to support the party most willing to back his "royalties for regions" plan. He has demanded 25 per cent of mining royalties be injected back into the regions, nominating a figure of $675 million a year to improve infrastructure and facilities.
Up until yesterday, both parties had dismissed the plan as a stunt.
