Opposition Leader Mia Davies and prominent Perth barrister Tom Percy QC have weighed in on John Quigley’s odd request to backflip on evidence he gave last week in the defamation trial between Clive Palmer and WA Premier Mark McGowan in the Federal Court.

The WA Attorney General has come under fire for asking the court for a “do-over” of his evidence in the trial, after he claims he “made mistakes” in testimony under oath earlier this month.

“We’re not talking about a courtroom newbie here, this is the Attorney-General of WA,” 6PR Mornings host Liam Bartlett said.

“A lawyer who has spent countless hours in court, 25 years of experience as a barrister and solicitor in criminal law, appearing hundreds of times over cases, inquiries, inquests, representing the WA Police Union and dozens of others, and now running legislative reform packages and responsible for making the laws that we live by in this state.”

Ms Davies said Mr Quigley’s request was a sign things had gone off the rails.

“It’s quite simply astonishing … we know he’s spent many hours thinking about [the trial] because he was texting the Premier saying he was coming up with strategies to deal with this [trial],” she told Bartlett.

Mr Percy said it was rare for such a request to be made on these grounds.

“It’s like you’re doing an interview with a politician and then they ring you up and say ‘oh I think I can put a better spin on that’ … it doesn’t work like that in the law,” he said.

Press PLAY below to more from the trio on John Quigley’s request.