New WA premier signals stability amid unresolved wage disputes

West Australian public sector workers face continuing uncertainty over pay disputes as the state government completes a swift change in leadership, with incoming premier Roger Cook signalling he will pursue stability over dramatic policy shifts.

Mark McGowan's unexpected decision to retire has triggered a smooth succession that saw health minister Amber-Jade Sanderson withdraw from the leadership race to support Mr Cook, allowing Labor to close ranks within days. Transport minister Rita Saffioti will become deputy leader under the new team.

The transition was not without internal drama. Ms Sanderson had initially appeared to hold the numbers for the top job, particularly among MPs aligned with the dominant left faction. But the Australian Manufacturing Workers Union's decision to back Mr Cook proved decisive, splitting that faction and shifting momentum behind the incoming premier.

Despite the behind-the-scenes manoeuvring, both Ms Sanderson and Ms Saffioti have moved to project unity. Speaking on Thursday, Ms Sanderson pledged "100 per cent support" for the new leadership and warned against any temptation to pursue "policy resets" that might disturb the government's established direction.

"Now is not the time for policy resets," she said. "Now is the time for continuity and stability."

For West Australian residents, that message carries particular weight given the industrial unrest that has characterised the McGowan government's final months. Nurses, firefighters and police officers have been pressing substantial pay claims, creating an uncomfortable backdrop for the leadership handover.

On Wednesday, Mr Cook was asked whether the incoming administration would maintain the government's existing wage offer to the dispute unions. He declined to commit either way, saying it was not yet time for detailed policy discussions. That studied ambiguity is likely to frustrate workers who have been awaiting resolution for months.

Ms Sanderson's public insistence on continuity suggests the new premier will not rapidly shift course, but it remains unclear whether the government will move to resolve the outstanding disputes or maintain the status quo that has left key community workers without a settled outcome.

Rita Saffioti, who will deputise under the new arrangement, said she had spoken with both Ms Sanderson and Mr McGowan during the transition. She dismissed suggestions of lasting division within Labor's ranks, describing the party's rapid movement from Mr McGowan's retirement announcement to a settled unity ticket as remarkable.

"Within 48 hours we had a unity ticket," Ms Saffioti said. "That is incredible. We moved quickly to make sure we got the best outcome for the state."

The formal ratification of the new leadership is expected next week, when Mr Cook will allocate cabinet positions. Ms Sanderson has indicated she hopes to remain in the health portfolio, though the decision rests with the incoming premier. The composition of the new cabinet will offer the first indication of whether the pledged continuity extends to personnel as well as policy direction.