Mr Carpenter has called on State Governor Ken Michael to tell him of his decision, ending weeks of speculation about an early election.

A poll did not have to be held until February.

Mr Carpenter's decision to call the election comes after a week of turmoil in the Liberal Party. Former leader Colin Barnett regained the top spot yesterday after Troy Buswell resigned from the position.

The Liberals have also yet to decide what to do with their star recruit, Diedre Willmott, who stood down as Cottesloe candidate after Mr Barnett decided to postpone his retirement to return as leader.

The Government has also been busy preparing the groundwork for an election in recent weeks, with a string of announcements, particularly in infrastructure, health and education.

Those plans have been delayed by the impact of the explosion at the Varanus Island gas plant on June 3, which cut the state's gas supplies by about 30 per cent.

Mr Carpenter has declared the crisis all but over, after Apache Energy, who run the plant, resumed partial production this week.

He also announced this week that Perth would consider making a bid for the 2018 Commonwealth Games.

Mr Barnett told 6PR's Simon Beaumont this morning that any decision to call an early election would be a "fraud".

The only reason Mr Carpenter might want to do so was to get it out of the way before the public release of a potentially explosive Corruption and Crime Commission report into the relationship of MPs and public servants with lobbyists Brian Burke and Julian Grill, Mr Barnett said

Speculation on an early election has been mounting for several weeks.