THE Western Australian Liberal Party is trying to bridge the gap with The Nationals WA in the lead up to next year's election on the issue of Royalties for Regions.
New Liberal Agriculture spokesman Steve Thomas said he sought a meeting with The Nationals WA leader Mia Davies "within a day of my appointment as shadow minister".
He said the request hadn't been responded to as yet.
"I was hoping we could all adopt a professional approach to discussions on the future management of regional development," Dr Thomas said.
"However, my olive branch is still extended and my door remains open."
Ms Davies said she received the invitation and would respond - however she has a meeting every week with Liberal Party leader Liza Harvey when parliament sits.
"At The Nationals WA 2019 annual State conference in Exmouth I made the commitment to repair the damage caused by the Labor government to Royalties for Regions and fight for a fair share of funding for regional WA," Ms Davies said.
"I look forward to all political parties putting forward their regional development policy well in advance of the next election so voters can judge who really has a commitment to regional WA.
"Better still, I call on the two major parties to match The Nationals' promise to restore the $1.8 billion the Labor government have cut and return the integrity of this critical fund."
Ms Davies said the McGowan Labor government instead chose to prioritise metro rail projects and road congestion works to make life more convenient for people living in Perth.
"Imagine what could have been achieved if that money had been directed to regional development projects," she said.
Ms Davies said extending the Farm Water Grant and Community Water Grants scheme, supporting grower groups to bolster their research dollars, filling in mobile and broadband blackspots were just a few projects that had been cut or significantly cut back by the State government.
Dr Thomas said he was often asked by people in regional areas "why we don't work together more and why we so often appear to be attacking each other instead of the Labor Party?".
"I am firmly of the belief that rural and regional communities want the Liberal and National parties to work more co-operatively, because regional communities and families are best served when the official opposition party and our fellow regional party work together in their interests," Dr Thomas said.
"I hope that our two parties can engage in open, honest and fruitful dialogue and I hope that we can reach some sort of agreement on how we will go forward co-operatively and with mutual respect.
"I also think that it will be critical to improve our co-operation in the lead up to the next State election - one which will not be easy for either of us.
"Now more than ever it is critical to focus on the real problems the Labor Party are inflicting on regional areas."
Dr Thomas said the kind of co-operation he was looking for was "not anything like a fully integrated campaign".
"We are different parties, each with our own priorities," he said.
"But I fail to see why we can't work on a set of ground rules for regional development that can support both parties at the same time.
"If we don't, we are giving the Labor party a free kick at both of us."
