From hosting Telethon to leading the state’s opposition, Basil Zempilas made an unusual leap from television personality to political powerbroker when he became leader of the Western Australian Liberal Party and Leader of the Opposition in March 2025, representing the seat of Churchlands. This article pieces together his career path, his family life, and what can — and can’t — be verified about his personal finances.
Full name: Basil Anthony Zempilas ·
Current role: Leader of the Western Australian Liberal Party, Leader of the Opposition ·
Electoral seat: Member for Churchlands, WA Legislative Assembly ·
Previous role: Lord Mayor of Perth (2020–2025) ·
Media background: Presenter and commentator for Seven West Media
Quick snapshot
- Basil Zempilas is the leader of the WA Liberal Party and Leader of the Opposition (Parliament of Western Australia – member register)
- He was Lord Mayor of Perth from 2020 to 2025 (Wikipedia – biography) (Parliament of Western Australia – member register)
- He is the Member for Churchlands (WA Liberal Party – state member page) (Parliament of Western Australia – member register)
- He has three children (Loop WA – Liberal Party profile) (Parliament of Western Australia – member register)
- Exact net worth is not publicly available (Wikipedia – no financial disclosure)
- Exact annual salary not confirmed from primary sources (WA Liberal Party – page without salary detail)
- Religious affiliation not disclosed (Wikipedia – no mention of religion)
- Exact height not confirmed (Wikipedia – no height listed)
- Spouse’s full name: Annabelle Zempilas per Loop WA, but also referred to as Amy Graham per IMDb (Loop WA / IMDb)
- Sibling information not publicly confirmed (no official source)
- October 2020 – Elected Lord Mayor of Perth (Wikipedia – mayoral term)
- March 2025 – Became Leader of the WA Liberal Party and Leader of the Opposition (Parliament of Western Australia – member register)
- Lead the WA Liberal Party into the next state election as shadow minister for State Development, Trade and Investment, and Citizenship and Multicultural Interests (Parliament of WA – shadow portfolio)
- Continue his role as Member for Churchlands (WA Liberal Party – state member page)
Eight key identifiers define Basil Zempilas’s public profile, from his full name to his official website.
| Label | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Full Name | Basil Anthony Zempilas | Wikipedia (biography) |
| Current Position | Leader of the Opposition, WA Liberal Party Leader | Parliament of WA (member register) |
| Electoral Seat | Member for Churchlands (WA Legislative Assembly) | WA Liberal Party (state member page) |
| Previous Role | Lord Mayor of Perth (2020–2025) | Wikipedia (mayoral term) |
| Media Background | Presenter/Commentator, Seven West Media | Loop WA (Liberal Party profile) |
| Spouse | Annabelle Zempilas | Loop WA (Liberal Party profile) |
| Children | Three | Loop WA (Liberal Party profile) |
| Official Website | zempilas.com.au | Official campaign site |
Who is Basil Zempilas?
Basil Zempilas’s early life and education
- Born on 30 July 1971 in Perth, Western Australia – Wikipedia (biography)
- Holds a Bachelor of Arts in Communications and Comparative Literature from Murdoch University and a Graduate Diploma in Journalism – Loop WA (Liberal Party profile)
- His family hails from Kastellorizo, Greece – Loop WA (Liberal Party profile)
The educational path points to a deliberate move into media: a humanities degree paired with a journalism diploma, both from Western Australian institutions.
Career before politics: Seven West Media
- Worked as a presenter and commentator for Seven West Media – Wikipedia (career)
- Hosted programs including The Morning Show and Sunrise – Wikipedia (TV career)
- Hosted Telethon from 2010 to 2024, helping raise more than $688 million for sick children and medical research – Loop WA (Liberal Party profile)
The sheer scale of the Telethon fundraising — over half a billion dollars — gave Zempilas a profile far beyond the typical TV host, making his political pivot both surprising and, in hindsight, inevitable.
A 30-year media career gave Zempilas name recognition and a fundraising track record that few first-time politicians can claim. That pre-existing trust may explain his rapid rise to party leader within weeks of entering parliament.
What is Basil Zempilas’s net worth and salary?
Estimated net worth of Basil Zempilas
- No publicly available disclosure of net worth exists – Wikipedia (no financial data)
- His media and political salaries are not published by any official source – WA Liberal Party (no salary detail)
Salary as Leader of the Opposition and Lord Mayor
- Salaries for WA opposition leader and former Lord Mayor are set by public remuneration tribunals, but exact figures for Zempilas are not confirmed from primary sources – Parliament of WA (no salary info)
The implication: readers searching for a neat net-worth figure will be disappointed. Neither his parliamentary nor his former mayoral salary has been individually published, and Zempilas has not voluntarily disclosed personal wealth.
Who is Basil Zempilas’s wife and family?
Basil Zempilas’s marriage and spouse
- Married to Annabelle Zempilas (also referred to as Amy Graham in some sources) – Loop WA (Liberal Party profile) / IMDb (biography)
- Married since 6 September 2009 according to IMDb – IMDb (marriage date)
Children of Basil Zempilas
- The couple has three children – Loop WA (Liberal Party profile) / IMDb (children)
- The family lives in Floreat, within the Churchlands electorate – Loop WA (Liberal Party profile)
Why this matters: living in the electorate he represents is a deliberate signal of local commitment — a contrast with politicians who reside outside their seats.
What is Basil Zempilas’s religion and height?
Basil Zempilas’s religious affiliation
- He has not publicly stated a specific religious affiliation – Wikipedia (no religion mentioned)
Physical height of Basil Zempilas
- Height is not verified from official sources – Wikipedia (no height listed)
The pattern: two personal details that are common in biographical searches but remain unconfirmed by any authoritative record. Readers should treat any claimed height or religion as unsubstantiated.
How to contact Basil Zempilas and find his office
Official contact details for Basil Zempilas
- Phone: (08) 9383 7120 – WA Liberal Party (contact page)
- Postal address: Unit 3A, 151 Herdsman Parade, Wembley WA 6014 – WA Liberal Party (postal address)
- Website: zempilas.com.au – Official campaign site
Electorate office address for Member for Churchlands
- Electorate office: 3A, 151 Herdsman Parade, Wembley WA 6018 – WA Liberal Party (office address)
The trade-off: the contact information is publicly listed, but the office address differs slightly from the postal address — likely a minor administrative nuance rather than a deliberate confusion.
Timeline: Basil Zempilas’s political ascent
- 2020 October – Elected Lord Mayor of Perth (Wikipedia – election)
- 2025 March 8 – Elected to the Forty-Second Parliament for Churchlands (Parliament of WA – election record)
- 2025 March 25 – Became Leader of the WA Liberal Party (Parliament of WA – leadership date)
- 2025 April 8 – Became Leader of the Opposition and appointed shadow minister for State Development, Trade and Investment, and Citizenship and Multicultural Interests (Parliament of WA – opposition leader date)
What this means: Zempilas went from City Hall to the leader’s office in the state parliament in under five years — an unusually fast political trajectory even by Australian standards.
His dual portfolios — State Development and Trade, combined with Citizenship and Multicultural Interests — mirror his media-built brand as a connector between business, community, and government. If he over-prioritises one, the other may suffer.
Clarity: confirmed vs. unverified
Confirmed facts
- Leader of the WA Liberal Party and Leader of the Opposition (since April 2025) – Parliament of WA
- Lord Mayor of Perth (2020–2025) – Wikipedia
- Member for Churchlands (since March 2025) – WA Liberal Party
- Three children – Loop WA
What’s unclear
- Exact net worth – not publicly disclosed
- Exact annual salary – not confirmed from primary sources
- Religious affiliation – not stated
- Height – not verified
- Spouse’s name – Annabelle Zempilas per Loop WA; also Amy Graham per IMDb
- Sibling information – not publicly confirmed
The pattern: information about Zempilas falls into two categories—confirmed from official sources and unverified.
Quotes
Basil Zempilas is an Australian politician and the leader of the Western Australian Liberal Party and the member for Churchlands in the Western Australian Legislative Assembly.
Wikipedia (career summary)
The WA Liberal Party says Zempilas has built a media career across television, radio, and print over 30 years.
Loop WA (Liberal Party profile)
He hosted Telethon from 2010 to 2024 and helped raise more than $688 million for sick children and medical research.
Loop WA (Liberal Party profile)
These quotes summarize his official portrayal.
en.wikipedia.org, aussiewatch.net, loop.wa.gov.au, waliberal.org.au, imdb.com, alchetron.com, linkedin.com, imdb.com, internationalspeakers.com.au, pride-pedia.com, linneys.com.au
Frequently Asked Questions
What party is Basil Zempilas in?
He is a member of the Liberal Party of Australia (WA Division) and serves as its state leader.
Is Basil Zempilas currently the Lord Mayor of Perth?
No. He served as Lord Mayor from October 2020 until March 2025, when he stood down after being elected to state parliament.
What TV shows has Basil Zempilas presented?
He has hosted The Morning Show and Sunrise on Channel 7, as well as Telethon.
How long was Basil Zempilas Lord Mayor?
He served as Lord Mayor of Perth for approximately four and a half years, from October 2020 to March 2025.
What electorate does Basil Zempilas represent?
He represents the electorate of Churchlands in the Western Australian Legislative Assembly.
Has Basil Zempilas ever run for state premier?
Not yet. He became Leader of the Opposition in April 2025, which positions him as the Liberal Party’s candidate for premier at the next state election.
What is Basil Zempilas’s educational background?
He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Communications and Comparative Literature from Murdoch University and a Graduate Diploma in Journalism.
Does Basil Zempilas have any siblings?
This detail is not publicly confirmed in any official source.
These answers cover the most common questions about Zempilas.
Related reading
- Sadiq Khan: Religion, Wife, Net Worth, and Biography – Another mayor-turned-national-figure profile.
- Sam Mac’s Family and Career as Sunrise Presenter – A fellow Channel 7 personality with a similar media background.
These articles profile similar political figures.
James Mitchell is Editor-in-Chief at Australia Voice, overseeing editorial standards, publication decisions and corrections.