In her maiden speech to parliament a decade ago, Liberal leader Libby Mettam spoke about the need for a thick skin to survive the "slings and arrows" of politics.

Little did she know just how much she would need that tough shell in the years ahead.

They say opposition leader is the worst job in politics.

So what does that make — as the sign on her office door states — "Leader of the Non-Governmental Party"?

"Even more challenging," Mettam says.

The Liberals were reduced to just two seats at the last election, handing the Nationals — with just four — the office sign that reads "Opposition Party", and all the perks that come with that.

Aside from fewer staff and other resources, this has also meant Mettam, unlike Nationals leader Shane Love, has not had a taxpayer-funded driver.

This has seen the regional MP wear out the leather on her steering wheel over the past four years, clocking up hundreds of thousands of kilometres on her four-wheel drive while splitting her time between Perth and her electorate of Vasse, in WA's south west.

This might be why so many of Mettam's colleagues speak about her strong work ethic — something she herself shrugs off.

"A lot of people work hard," she says.

Odds not in her favour

Two weeks out from the WA election on March 8, Mettam is attempting to climb a bigger mountain than any other Liberal leader before her.

During a day spent following Mettam on the campaign trail this week, she was resolutely on message — constantly steering the conversation away from the odds that are stacked against her and back to her campaign lines.

Will she remain leader in the new parliament? 

Will she take up the Nationals offer of continuing an opposition alliance with a shared shadow ministry?

"My focus is on winning the election," she says.

"Western Australians want to hear about our plan to fix the health system, address cost of living pressures, law and order, and restore regional services."

It's been a long four years on the lonesome opposition benches of WA's state parliament, where she admits it was impossible to achieve anything much in the face of a 53-strong Labor caucus.

Personal attacks in Parliament

At times, discourse inside the chamber has been personal.

In August last year, for example, Attorney General John Quigley called Mettam an "airhead" after she got up and spoke about new family violence laws.

"Although we support this legislation, it is unclear why it has taken so long for it to be introduced to address the record rate of family and domestic violence that is currently plaguing our state," Mettam told the parliament.

In response, Quigley said: "I wonder how one can be so vacuous and empty headed and get elected to this place and be the leader of the Liberal Party."

Mettam says she doesn't let any of it faze her, but it has certainly been a long four years.

"Do I like Parliament and Question Time? Not really," she says.

"Do we achieve much? No, because you don't get answers to questions anyway."

'Put up or shut up'

While Labor has been exceptionally united over the past eight years, the Liberal party has been divided and cycled through leaders.

Mettam is the fifth Liberal leader since 2017 and already faced a campaign to undermine her late last year — when some colleagues were pushing for candidate Basil Zempilas to lead the party through the election campaign.

In perhaps her strongest performance to date, Mettam stared down her detractors, told them to "put up or shut up", and held onto the leadership.

"She is best when her back is against the wall," one former colleague says.

Mettam was forced to confront another headache this week, when controversial social media posts from her party's candidate for the seat of the Kimberley, Darren Spackman, emerged. 

After at first backing the Kununurra publican, she asked for his resignation on Thursday after further controversial comments were aired in an interview.

Asked to describe her, some current and former colleagues said: "a fighter" and "tenacious", while another described her as "a calculated individual with an authentic veneer".

To this, Mettam just shrugs: "I think I am a pretty ordinary person."

An ordinary person with some controversial views nonetheless.

Mettam attracted criticism when she announced she would not stand in front of the Aboriginal flag, and has also flagged a ban on gender transition treatments for children.

The thing her colleagues all say about her is how hard she works.

This could be traced back to growing up in regional WA with hardworking parents, or — as she spoke about in her 2014 maiden speech — becoming a mum at age 22 and working multiple jobs while her husband studied winemaking.

On the road this week, she's crisscrossing the metropolitan area to meet locals and unveil election promises — smiling, attempting to shoot hoops in heels, recording and re-recording social media videos.

There's a crime crackdown announcement in Forrestfield, funding for the bushfire brigade in Parkerville, a recreation centre upgrade in Darling Range, a freeway noise wall in Bateman.

What motivates Mettam?

Now a grandmother to a seven-month-old girl, Mettam says her family continues to keep her motivated and grounded.

She says her daughters got a "rude shock" when watching her during Question Time in parliament.

"Just the conduct, not answering questions, personal attacks," she says.

While at times difficult to watch, Mettam says her family understands the importance of her role.

"And the role is more important now than ever, because we've seen what has happened with the absolute power that this government has wielded," she says.

"It's not a flash job. It's just, you know, a lot of hard work, listening to people's concerns, and just an ability to keep going."