Page "Julie Bishop" Paragraph 6

Following the Liberals ' February 2001 State election loss by Richard Court to Geoff Gallop, Bishop was mooted as a possible contender for the leader of the state opposition.

Initially Court had announced that he would stay on as opposition leader, but had secretly negotiated a deal under which she would leave the Federal Parliament and factional opponent Colin Barnett would move to Canberra.

The deal soon collapsed, however, with Court resigning and Bishop declaring that the arrangement wasn't bizarre, but "... innovative, different.

" Barnett took over the position.