North West Central MP Vince Catania, who defected from Labor a decade ago, puts up hand to be next deputy leader of WA Nationals

North West Central MP Vince Catania, who defected from Labor a decade ago, has put his hand up to be the next deputy leader of the WA Nationals. Nationals MPs will pick a new deputy in a fortnight after Upper House MP Jacqui Boydell at the weekend announced she was quitting politics. Her decision not to recontest at the 2021 State election came after speculation she would be dumped by preselectors. Ms Boydell, first elected in the Mining and Pastoral Region in 2013, said she wanted to “allow others to have opportunities”. Mr Catania won the seat of North West Central in 2008 and stunned colleagues when he defected to the Nationals just a year later. The Nationals had a poor result at the 2017 State election, losing the seat of Pilbara to Labor and Kalgoorlie to the Liberals. “I will be seeking support from my colleagues to run for deputy leader to ensure that we have strong representation in the non-traditional National Party areas of the State and to give us the best chance to regain the seats we lost in the mining and pastoral region,” Mr Catania said. Upper House MPs Martin Aldridge and Colin Holt said they would not run for deputy leader, while former leader Terry Redman would not comment.