The West Australian Liberals are poised to form government but were facing tough negotiations with the Nationals to enable them to do so.

BLOG: Behind the scenes on election day

VIDEO: WA votes

In one of the most remarkable comebacks in Australian political history, resurrected Opposition Leader Colin Barnett emerged from pending retirement to declare his party was ready to take office.

Needing to win nine seats to form a conservative government with the help of the Nationals, the Liberals were almost certain to win ten after Saturday's state election.

Huge swings of more than six per cent against the government in many seats exceeded poll predictions of a four per cent swing to the opposition.

Late polls had suggested the result was split 50-50 on the two-party preferred vote, but Saturday night's vote count indicated a statewide swing of 5.5 per cent to the Liberals.

Labor appeared unlikely to be able to gain more than 27 seats in the 59-seat parliament, while the Liberals were likely to take 25 and the Nationals four, with two independents and another seat to be decided.

No mention of Nationals

In what was seen as a victory speech on Saturday night, Mr Barnett did not mention the Nationals, whose MPs may be required to help him form a conservative government.

He simply said the Liberal Party was in a position where it could soon take office, and that voters had rejected the Carpenter Labor government.

"This has been an extraordinary four weeks for (my wife) Lyn and I - for the Liberal Party," he told jubilant supporters at the Seaview Golf Club in the blue ribbon electorate of Cottesloe.

"The voters of Western Australia have clearly expressed their viewpoint today.

"They have rejected a Labor government. They have created the situation where we could - could - form a government.

"That is what I believe the people of this state want to happen."

Lib-Nat govt uncertain

But Nationals MP Brendon Grylls indicated that a Liberal-Nationals government was not a foregone conclusion.

He told reporters he had been speaking to Mr Carpenter and would await the outcome of vote counting before declaring his party's hand.

He said he was open to negotiations with either party as long as they supported his "royalties for regions" plan, which he had fought for two years to introduce.

"The Nationals put to (Opposition Leader) Colin Barnett at the start of this election our royalties for region program - $700 million extra over and above existing services to support regional services and infrastructure.

"Colin Barnett rejected that idea.

"I've campaigned on (it) right through regional WA. The vote for us has been strong.

"If our support is needed to govern, that's what on the table and it's not just for Colin Barnett, it's on the table for Alan Carpenter as well to deliver a much better outcome for country West Australians.

"For the Nationals' support, (Mr Barnett) might need to rekindle his enthusiasm for the project."

'Guiding light'

He said Nationals MP Carlene Maywald, now the Minister for the River Murray in the Rann South Australian Labor government, had been his inspiration.

"She has been my guiding light," he said.

But deputy federal opposition leader Julie Bishop said there was little chance the Nationals would desert the Liberals if they were required to help them form government.

"People who vote National would expect them to form a coalition government (with the Liberals)," she said.

Mr Carpenter said he would begin negotiations with the Nationals before conceding the election.

"The most likely outcome appears to be a hung parliament, with the Labor Party (holding) the most number of seats," he said.

"There are discussions to be had, quite clearly, with the National Party and the independents ... about the way forward.

"And I think until the discussions are had, and until the count is completed, and there are some extremely close, as I've said in the campaign, knife-edged results here, and we need to await the outcome."