An argument between two WA Liberal Opposition MPs at a pub has turned physical with one man pushing the other to the ground, sending tables and glasses flying.
The violent incident occurred on Thursday night at a dinner during the state Liberals' annual planning meeting, or "love-in", on Rottnest Island and in full view of the public.
Those involved were South Perth lower house MLA John McGrath who shoved Southern Metro upper house MLC Peter Collier.
The party retreat was due to continue on Friday, with both men attending, Opposition Leader Mike Nahan said.
It was understood all of the state's Liberal MPs bar one were at the dinner at the Rottnest Island Hotel, including spouses, and no-one was injured.
AAP understands the altercation is being viewed as "pent-up anger" since the humiliating, record defeat suffered by the Barnett Government to Labor at least year's election.
Mr Collier is a key WA party powerbroker, along with Mathias Cormann and Nick Goiran, the latter is strongly backed by the Christian conservative.
There is anger among some MPs that the group, particularly Mr Collier, so strongly backed former Premier Colin Barnett ahead of the last election where there were some moves to replace him, given how badly they lost.
The Liberals now have just 13 lower house MPs compared to Labor's 41.
Mr Collier tried to play the incident down on the island on Friday, telling reporters it was a "storm in a teacup" while admitting he was pushed and fell off his chair.
Dr Nahan told radio station 6PR that both men were gentle fellows, were not drunk, not prone to aggressive behaviour and had worked together well as colleagues for 13 years.
"This isn't the way to solve issues, but politics is sometimes a passionate business," he said.
There is a view in the among some party sources that the altercation at least shows MPs are not sycophants to the powerbrokers.
One party source said: "The whole idea of a love-in is to give people a chance to say what they think, sometimes they say what they think."
Share
