Former WA Liberals leader David Honey has lost the preselection battle for the Liberal heartland seat of Cottesloe to property council chief Sandra Brewer.
Ms Brewer, the WA chief executive of the Property Council, had made no secret of her aims to claim the blue-ribbon seat, putting her in a strong position to secure a position in the WA parliament in the 2025 election.
Ms Brewer was up against Dr Honey and entertainment lawyer Richard Evans.
The ABC understands Ms Brewer won the three-cornered contest outright on first preferences.
It's understood Dr Honey received 28 votes to Ms Brewer's 51.
Ms Brewer is a marketing executive who, prior to joining the property council, launched her own firm.
Dr Honey was one of just two Liberals to be elected to the WA lower house in the 2021 election that swept the Labor Party to outright victory in both houses.
A fairly bloodless coup by Libby Mettam saw him hand over the party leadership in January last year.
Ms Mettam said she respected the decision.
"I would like to thank David Honey for his significant service to the Liberal Party and the state. David has worked tirelessly for his community and for the Liberal Party," she said.
"Sandra Brewer will now need to be endorsed at state council and I look forward to working with Sandra in the event she is endorsed by state council."
Dr Honey took over the seat of Cottesloe from former WA premier Colin Barnett in 2018, who held it for 28 years.
The seat covers exclusive coastal suburbs in Perth's "golden triangle" and the Liberals have won every seat since it was first contested in 1950.
In the 2021 bloodbath it saw a 10.7 per cent swing against the Liberals, but Dr Honey held it with a comfortable 7.4 per cent margin.
According to Liberal Party rules, Ms Brewer will need approval from the party's state council on March 2.
She will formally resign from her role with the Property Council.
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