Paul Omodei

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Paul Domenic Omodei (born 26 May 1950), Australian politician, is the current leader of the Liberal Party and Leader of the Opposition in Western Australia. He was elected leader in a party room ballot on 24 March 2006 after challenging Matt Birney for the leadership.

Omodei was born in Manjimup, Western Australia and was a potato farmer in the Pemberton area before entering Parliament as the member for Warren in 1989 and is currently the member for Warren-Blackwood.

In the Court government Omodei was at various stages the Minister for Local Government; Water Resources; Multicultural and Ethnic Affairs; Disability Services; and Forest Products.

Following the defeat of the Court government in 2001 Omodei held various shadow cabinet posts. After the 2005 election and the resignation of Colin Barnett as leader he was elected deputy leader under Birney. He was forced to resign in October 2005 after he was convicted of unlawfully shooting his son during a rabbit cull. His son's thumb was shot after the gun accidentally went off while being loaded. An appeal against the conviction is currently pending.