▁the ▁support ▁of ▁Premier ▁Richard ▁Court , ▁who ▁had ▁ear mark ed ▁her ▁as ▁a ▁future ▁member ▁of ▁federal ▁cabinet . ▁The ▁seat ▁had ▁been ▁held ▁for ▁ 1 7 ▁years ▁by ▁All an ▁Ro cher , ▁who ▁was ▁a ▁personal ▁friend ▁of ▁Prime ▁Minister ▁John ▁Howard ▁but ▁had ▁left ▁the ▁Liber als ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 5 ▁to ▁sit ▁as ▁an ▁independent . ▁Howard ▁did ▁not ▁want ▁the ▁Liber als ▁to ▁run ▁a ▁candidate ▁against ▁Ro cher , ▁and ▁refused ▁to ▁campaign ▁for ▁Bishop ; ▁however , ▁Peter ▁Cost ello ▁and ▁Alexander ▁Down er ▁both ▁supported ▁her ▁candid acy ▁and ▁Cost ello ▁launched ▁her ▁campaign . ▁At ▁the ▁election , ▁she ▁rec laimed ▁the ▁seat ▁for ▁the ▁Liber als ▁with ▁a ▁large ▁swing ▁in ▁her ▁favour . ▁ ▁After ▁the ▁Liberal ▁Party ▁lost ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 1 ▁state ▁election ▁in ▁Western ▁Australia , ▁Bishop ▁was ▁suggested ▁by ▁multiple ▁media ▁sources ▁as ▁a ▁possible ▁replacement ▁for ▁Richard ▁Court ▁as ▁state ▁Liberal ▁leader ▁( and ▁thus ▁Le ader ▁of ▁the ▁O pp osition ). ▁It ▁was ▁later ▁confirmed ▁that ▁Court ▁fav oured ▁an ▁arrangement ▁where ▁he ▁and ▁his ▁deput y ▁and ▁fa ction al ▁rival , ▁Col in ▁Bar nett , ▁would ▁res ign ▁their ▁seats ▁in ▁the ▁Legisl ative ▁Assembly . ▁Bishop ▁would ▁res ign ▁from ▁federal ▁Parliament ▁and ▁hand ▁her ▁seat ▁to ▁Bar nett , ▁and ▁Court ▁would ▁hand ▁the ▁leadership ▁of ▁the ▁W A ▁Liber als ▁to ▁Bishop ▁once ▁she ▁was ▁safely ▁in ▁the ▁state ▁legisl ature .