Labor plans to split the utility into four distinct business units - retail, generation, networks, and regional power generation - and has put a deadline of March next year to effect the changes in the Electricity Corporations Bill.

Former Liberal party leader Colin Barnett was a firm opponent of the plan and with him no longer steering the Liberals, Carpenter challenged the new leader of the opposition, Birney, to give the plan bipartisan support.

But Birney has been silent on his current views.

Shadow energy minister Dan Sullivan said the Liberals were approaching the issue in positively and just because the plan had been knocked back previously, there was no reason to believe that would necessarily occur again.

He said he was speaking to range of people regarding the legislation before making as recommendation to the party, expected in around three weeks.

National party leader Max Trenorden said he had yet to make up his mind on the legislation.