WA Premier can't defend email insult

Colin Barnett says he can't defend his senior media adviser, whose email describing an ABC journalist as a "sanctimonious moll" was accidentally sent to the broadcaster.

The opposition's Michelle Roberts raised the matter in parliament on Wednesday and was on Thursday lashed by the premier for naming the journalist, saying it compounded the "inappropriate" controversy.

"I intend to take some personal action with respect to that (naming)," Mr Barnett said.

He said on Wednesday he had accepted an apology from the senior media adviser, who had sent it "in a casual way" to a colleague, who then inadvertently emailed it to the broadcaster.

But after the opposition said the adviser should have instead apologised to the journalist, the premier said he didn't know if that had occurred.

"I don't in any way defend it, as I said yesterday.

"Things happen in public life, things happen in offices, both in government and the private sector.

"The one thing I think is inappropriate in this chamber, Mr Speaker, is to name members of the public, members of the media or members of staff of government ... I will stand on my record as a premier of taking action."