A National Party challenge against Liberal MLA Ian Blayney at next year’s State election has been flagged by the party’s new Geraldton-Greenough branch president.

Gerry Gould, the owner/manager of Geraldton Hydraulics, was elected unopposed to replace Patricia Powell at the Nationals’ Geraldton-Greenough branch annual general meeting on Monday — Mrs Powell became vice-president.

Mr Gould questioned whether the major parties had a place in Geraldton, adding that Mr Blayney, formerly a farmer, could have been a Nationals candidate.

“He probably before the last election looked at the situation and didn’t know where the Nationals were going,” he said.

Mr Gould said since then the Nationals’ Royalties for Regions initiative had proven itself, as the Government reduced services like health and education in regional areas.

“The Nationals have had to dig into Royalties for Regions to help prop up these services,” he said.

Mr Gould said Mr Blayney as a “first termer” had not been as successful as he might have been because of the mindset of the larger parties.

“He’s still part of one of the big political parties and I don’t think there’s any place for them in regional areas because their history doesn’t look as it should where the education and health systems are concerned,” he said.

“They have never been committed to decentralisation in any meaningful way.”

Mr Gould did not name any potential Nationals candidate for Geraldton, but said he and other members of the party had “some people in mind”.

Also at the AGM, Member for Moore Grant Woodhams said the Nationals could wrest the seat of Geraldton from Mr Blayney.

“I think it’s a winnable seat and I would be happy to endorse any person nominated by the branch,” he said.

“That person would have to be very much involved in the local community,” he said.

Mr Woodhams said he had not been involved in any discussions among his Parliamentary colleagues about the Nationals challenging sitting Liberals.

“If it happens in Geraldton, it will certainly be interesting,” he said.

Nominations for the Nationals close on April 13 and decisions on candidates will be made by the State Council in May.

- MLA 'understands' challenge

Geraldton MLA Ian Blayney says he understands why the WA Nationals might want to push Royalties for Regions as part of a tilt at his seat in next year’s election.

He was commenting on the Nationals’ new Geraldton-Greenough branch president Gerry Gould saying he had “some people” in mind to challenge the Liberal member because the major parties had no firm commitment to decentralisation.

Mr Blayney said Mr Gould was highlighting Royalties for Regions as a Nationals policy, while in fact it was a government policy.

“I’m as fanatical as anyone about that policy, particularly with my background as a farmer.”

Mr Blayney said he was not surprised the Nationals might want to run a candidate in Geraldton.

“Over the years the Liberals and the Nationals have worked together and at other times we’ve tried to knock each other off, but I think it’s important for people to have a choice.”

He said the Liberals and Nationals contesting the same seat could be seen as a waste of resources when the object was to defeat the Labor Opposition.

“But last time I was elected on Nationals preferences and the Nationals’ Grant Woodhams on Liberals preferences, that’s democracy, I guess,” Mr Blayney said.