Barnett brushes off another poll result

WA Premier Colin Barnett accepts he faces a "knife-edge election" but insists he isn't bothered by the latest opinion poll that suggests his deputy is more popular than him.

The Reach-TEL poll shows Labor is ahead on a two-party preferred basis, with 52 per cent over the Liberals' 48 per cent.

Labor leader Mark McGowan also continues to be the preferred premier ahead of Mr Barnett, with 55.7 per cent compared to 44.3 per cent.

Mr Barnett told reporters on Sunday it was going to be a close election.

"It's going to be determined seat by seat, there will be extremely close results, probably recounts - that's where we're at," he said.

The poll also revealed more than half of those polled felt Deputy Premier and Police Minister Liza Harvey would do a better job as Liberal leader than Mr Barnett.

The premier smiled while denying he had any mixed emotions about championing Ms Harvey, describing her as a "terrific person" who was elected in 2008 and had not been a member of parliament for very long.

"I think she's done an outstanding job. Personally, we get along really well and I think we are different," he said.

"We have different backgrounds, different experiences in life and I think it's a good combination."

The poll, published on Saturday by the West Australian newspaper, was conducted on Thursday night.