Barnett's WA Inc swipe at Labor repeated

WA Liberal leader Mike Nahan says all the ingredients are there for a repeat of the WA Inc scandal under the new Labor state government.

Former premier Colin Barnett was labelled "despicable" in parliament during its first sitting week in May when he said "the preconditions for what happened in the 1980s and early part of this century exist today" but brushed off the reaction as "almost hysterical".

Dr Nahan made the same comment at the Liberal state conference on Sunday, adding he was a public servant during that era and saw "Brian Burke's and Julian Grills' minions parachuted in".

"They (the McGowan government) are politicising the public service on par with Brian Burke," he said.

"They are ripping up contracts. They are issuing new contracts without tenders.

"They are getting closer and closer with businessmen, which they shouldn't. I will go no further. I will be sued."

Dr Nahan would not elaborate when quizzed by reporters, but repeated the comment.

"That's what they're doing and I just expressed my view, and I'm not going to go through it in any great length," he said.

"I think there are concerns about their closeness to certain business people.

"We will watch it and it's an issue you have to be very careful about."