West Australian cabinet ministers say they are mortified by the actions of two of their colleagues, who quit after they lost confidence in Premier Colin Barnett's leadership.
Local Government Minister Tony Simpson and Transport Minister Dean Nalder didn't personally notify Mr Barnett of their resignations on Saturday, while Mr Nalder says he'll challenge the premier if a leadership spill eventuates at Tuesday's party room meeting.
Heading into their cabinet meeting on Monday, ministers including Attorney-General Michael Mischin, Health Minister John Day and Treasurer Mike Nahan flanked Deputy Premier Liza Harvey as she criticised Mr Nalder and backed Mr Barnett.
"We are mortified at the conduct of Mr Nalder and Mr Simpson, and we all 100 per cent unequivocally support the premier," Ms Harvey told reporters.
"Should there be a call for a leadership spill in the party room tomorrow, we will not be supporting that.
"And I can assure each and every one of you and every elector out there in Western Australia that from that party room, Colin Barnett will emerge as the leader of the Liberal party, the premier and absolutely the right person to take us through to the election in March 2017.
"None of us have ever wavered in our support for Colin Barnett."
Ms Harvey said they were also mortified by the actions of Liberal backbencher Ian Britza, who also said on the weekend he no longer supported Mr Barnett.
She said the Morley MLA, Mr Nalder and Mr Simpson had been "intrinsically linked" to prominent Perth businessmen who recently commissioned a ReachTel poll showing the Liberals would lose power if they tried to secure a third term with Mr Barnett at the helm.
"That entire strategy was designed to undermine the premier, to undermine his leadership, to try and place Dean Nalder into that role," Ms Harvey said.
"He's disillusioned, he has no support."
She said he had been planning the move for months but did not have the numbers.
Ms Harvey also "absolutely" ruled out a tilt at the top job herself.
Whether Mr Nalder continued to undermine Mr Barnett from the backbench was an issue of ethics and integrity, she said.
Nationals WA leader Brendon Grylls, who recently resumed the leadership of the party after prompting Terry Redman to resign, said the Liberals had been "very respectful" of that process, so the courtesy would be returned to their alliance partners.
"It is a matter for them. It's a matter that does need to be put to bed," Mr Grylls told reporters.
"I hope the events of the last few days can be quickly put behind us."
