A furious WA Premier Colin Barnett has fought back against the wealthy Perth businessmen he says are trying to force him out by asking the public sector watchdog to investigate if the private poll they funded broke any laws.
The privately-funded Reachtel poll of more than 10,700 people across 11 Perth seats showed Labor winning 10 of them and seizing government.
The unusual move of businessmen John Poynton, Nigel Satterley, John Poland and others to commission their own poll with questions such as whether Mr Barnett "looked arrogant or tired", then leaking it to the media, prompted accusations they were interfering in a democratically elected government.
Mr Barnett said he had asked the Department of Premier and Cabinet's head to refer the issue to the Public Sector Commissioner watchdog Mal Wauchope.
He also warned Transport Minister Dean Nalder, a possible leadership rival who Mr Poynton handed the results of the poll before Mr Barnett knew about it, that if he was implicated, it was a serious issue for the government.
"It is absolutely essential that anyone who contributed to that poll - I am not saying it is anything illegal or improper - but they have to declare that," Mr Barnett told reporters.
"I need to know that as the premier of the state, to make sure that in no way do they compromise the activities of the government or government ministers."
"I do think that Dean and I need to sit down and have a long and serious chat."
Deputy leader Liza Harvey and Treasurer Mike Nahan strongly backed the premier but Mr Nalder refused to criticise the businessmen.
Mr Poynton, a prominent investment banker, denied Mr Barnett's claims of disloyalty and undermining, saying people were worried about WA's direction, including rising debt, jobs, falling house prices and higher taxes.
"All that's happened here is that we've arranged for a very large number of people ... to tell us what they think," he said.
The cash-strapped government's budget deficit and debt have soared to record levels as revenue has dried up in the post-mining boom economy.
However the complaints of disgruntled businessmen are also related to repeated hikes in land taxes going back years.
Land developer Mr Satterley has been a fierce critic of Mr Barnett and Mr Nahan this year over the blocking of a housing project reported to have cost him $60 million.
Notre Dame University senior politics lecturer Martin Drum pointed out the questions focused on dissatisfaction with Mr Barnett but not about alternative leaders.
"I wouldn't say it is any better or worse than people donating large sums of money to political parties but the different thing here is people with deep pockets seeking to influence public debate."
