Former premier Mark McGowan has hailed Western Australia’s “kinder, sweeter and gentler” media landscape among its key benefits while addressing business leaders at a summit in Perth.
But he reserved special praise for the state’s diminished media landscape, which he claimed was “less ugly” than its eastern states counterparts. Text messages unearthed during the Palmer defamation trial exposed the strength of the relationship, with Stokes and McGowan joking about the “marvellous” front pages.
McGowan, who became colloquially known as ‘State Daddy’ during his tenure, told the summit he had no regrets about his decision to leave public life and was enjoying his return to normality. “By the end, I’d had enough, and I got out on my own terms, so no: I don’t really regret it or miss it.”