Nestled in the rolling hills with panoramic views of Perth’s skyline, Basil Zempilas’ flashy $1.9 million Mount Street apartment is a fitting residence for the city’s lord mayor.
And his decision to part with it has only fuelled persistent speculation he intends to shed the title in favour of a tilt at state politics with the WA Liberal Party.
The three-bedroom, two-bathroom riverside apartment located just a stone’s throw from Kings Park quietly sold in June after more than two-and-a-half months on the market.
The residence, which boasts an alfresco balcony with sweeping city and river views, a spa bath, ‘his and hers’ walk-in wardrobes and exclusive access to the building’s pool, sauna and gym, was used to authorise his 2019 mayoral campaign.
But the prominent media commentator sought to pour cold water on murmurs the move had implications for his 2023 bid on Monday, telling this masthead he remained a Perth property owner and was entitled to run for the city’s top job.
“Life goes in different directions, and you’ve got different responsibilities [which led to the sale],” he said.
“The bottom line is that I have a property in the city, and I am eligible to run. Game over.
“I am a declared candidate, and I’ve said it one million times, but I accept that until such time as you’ve had your appointment with the returning officer and your nomination goes up in council house, people can speculate.”
When quizzed about why he had not yet formally nominated and was not listed among the candidates on the city’s website, Zempilas confirmed he was scheduled to meet with the returning officer before Thursday’s 5pm deadline.
https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/national/western-australia/zempilas-shuts-down-speculation-after-selling-his-1-9m-west-perth-apartment-20230904-p5e1ys.html?ref=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_source=rss_national Lord Mayor Basil Zempilas shuts down speculation after selling his $1.9m West Perth apartment