For many people in Western Australia, Basil Zempilas is a familiar face and voice. Whether it is on the television news, AFL coverage, breakfast radio or more recently in politics, Basil has been part of daily life in Perth for more than three decades. He is one of those public figures who seems to have worn every hat possible – sports commentator, news presenter, radio host, columnist, Lord Mayor and now politician.
But despite his high profile, plenty of people still ask: Wer ist Basil Zempilas? Who exactly is he, what is his background, who is his family, and what is he doing now?
This article takes a proper look at Basil Zempilas’ life, career, family, net worth, salary and the role people like Rick Ardon have played in his rise.
Wer ist Basil Zempilas?
Basil Zempilas is an Australian media personality and politician from Perth, Western Australia. He was born on 30 July 1971 and grew up in Perth in a proud Greek-Australian family. Over the years he built a reputation as one of WA’s most recognisable broadcasters before moving into public life.
Most Australians know Basil from Seven News Perth, where he worked as a sports presenter and later a news presenter. He also became well known for his radio work, especially as part of breakfast radio in Perth.
In 2020, Basil entered politics and was elected as the Lord Mayor of Perth. His move into politics surprised some people, but others saw it as the natural next step for someone who had spent years speaking to the public every day.
Since then, Basil has gone even further in politics. In 2025 he became the Member for Churchlands and the Leader of the Western Australian Liberal Party.
From the media to local government and now state politics, Basil has become one of the most talked-about public figures in WA.
Early Life and Greek Family Background
Basil Zempilas was born and raised in Perth. His parents came from a Greek background and his family traces its roots back to the island of Kastellorizo in Greece.
Growing up, Basil has often said that family was central to everything. Like many Greek-Australian families, there was a strong focus on community, hard work and staying close to relatives.
Basil attended school in Perth and developed a love for sport at a young age. He was especially interested in footy and horse racing, and those passions later shaped his career in sports broadcasting.
After finishing school, Basil studied journalism and communications. He quickly found work in radio and television, starting in local media before eventually becoming one of the biggest names in Perth broadcasting.
Basil Zempilas’ Media Career
Basil’s media career began in the late 1980s and early 1990s. He started out in radio and local sports reporting before joining Seven Perth.
At Seven, he became the station’s sports presenter and built a strong following thanks to his confident presenting style and love of sport. Over the years he covered AFL, cricket, horse racing, the Olympics and plenty of other major events.
He was especially well known for calling AFL matches and hosting sports coverage on Channel Seven. His strong voice and energetic style made him one of the network’s most recognisable commentators.
Outside television, Basil also became a major radio figure in Perth. He spent years on breakfast radio, where listeners got to know his humour, opinions and straight-talking style.
His media career stretched across:
- Seven News Perth
- AFL and sports broadcasting
- Breakfast radio
- Newspaper columns
- Horse racing commentary
- Event hosting and public appearances
By the time he moved into politics, Basil had become one of the best-known media identities in Western Australia.
Basil Zempilas and Rick Ardon
One of the biggest parts of Basil’s television career was his working relationship with veteran Seven News presenter Rick Ardon.
Rick Ardon has long been regarded as one of Perth’s most respected newsreaders. Together with Susannah Carr, he formed one of the most successful news presenting teams in Australia.
Basil worked alongside Rick Ardon for many years at Seven News Perth. During that time, the pair developed a strong on-screen partnership.
While Rick Ardon was usually the calm and experienced face of the news bulletin, Basil brought energy and personality to the sports segment. Their different styles worked well together and became a regular part of nightly television in WA.
Basil has spoken publicly about how much respect he has for Rick Ardon. He once said that when he first arrived at Channel Seven in the 1990s, he was in awe of Rick because he was already such a major television figure.
Over time, the pair became close colleagues and friends. Their partnership helped define Seven News Perth for many years.
For viewers in Perth, Rick Ardon and Basil Zempilas were part of a familiar routine each evening.
Basil Zempilas Wife
One of the most searched questions about Basil is: who is Basil Zempilas’ wife?
Basil is married to Amy Zempilas, formerly Amy Graham. Amy is well known in Perth society and is often involved in fashion, charity events and community projects.
The couple married on 6 September 2009 on the Greek island of Kastellorizo, which has a special connection to Basil’s family heritage.
Their wedding was a beautiful celebration of their Greek roots and attracted attention in Perth because Basil was already a high-profile media personality.
Amy has largely stayed out of politics and media attention, but she has supported Basil throughout his demanding career.
Whether Basil was waking up before dawn for breakfast radio, working long nights at Seven News or entering politics, Amy has been described as a steady support behind the scenes.
Basil Zempilas Family
Family is a huge part of Basil Zempilas’ life.
Basil and Amy have three children together. They have two daughters, Chloe and Ava, and one younger son.
Although Basil is often in the public eye, he tries to keep his children’s lives relatively private.
Even so, he has occasionally spoken about how important his family is and how difficult it can be balancing work with family life.
For years, Basil worked extremely long hours. Breakfast radio meant early mornings, while television often required late nights. Add in travel for sport and media commitments, and it was a very busy lifestyle.
Basil has admitted that his family made plenty of sacrifices over the years because of his career.
Still, he often says that his wife and children are his biggest priority.
Basil Zempilas Daughter
People often search specifically for information about Basil Zempilas’ daughter.
Basil has two daughters named Chloe and Ava.
He occasionally shares proud family moments involving his daughters, especially around birthdays, school events or family celebrations.
However, he is careful not to reveal too much about them publicly.
As a father, Basil appears to be very protective of his daughters and prefers to keep them away from the spotlight where possible.
This is understandable given his own high-profile career in both the media and politics.
Basil Zempilas Height
Another popular question online is about Basil Zempilas’ height.
There is no official public record of Basil’s exact height. However, based on his appearance alongside other television presenters and AFL commentators, he is believed to stand around 183 to 188 centimetres tall.
That would place him at around six foot to six foot two in old measurements.
Because Basil has spent so much of his career on television, people often become curious about his appearance, but he has never publicly confirmed his exact height.
Basil Zempilas Religion
Basil Zempilas has not spoken publicly in great detail about his religious beliefs.
However, because of his Greek family background, he is widely believed to come from a Greek Orthodox tradition.
Greek Orthodox Christianity is common among families from Kastellorizo and among Greek-Australian communities in Perth.
Basil has spoken proudly about his heritage and the role his family background has played in his life.
Although he tends to keep religion private, there is little doubt that his Greek upbringing and family traditions remain an important part of who he is.
Basil Zempilas Net Worth
Basil Zempilas’ net worth is estimated to be between $3 million and $5 million Australian dollars.
This figure is based on his long and successful career in media, as well as his more recent political work and property investments.
For decades, Basil earned income from several different sources at the same time. These included:
- Television presenting
- Radio hosting
- AFL commentary
- Newspaper columns
- Public speaking
- Event hosting
- Political salary
He is also believed to own valuable property in Perth, including homes in suburbs such as Floreat and North Coogee.
Like many successful media personalities, Basil built his wealth gradually over many years rather than through one single role.
His combination of media work and property investments has likely made him one of the more financially successful public figures in WA.
Basil Zempilas Salary
Basil’s salary has changed significantly over the years depending on the role he was doing.
During his years in television and radio, it is believed that Basil earned a strong six-figure income.
As one of Perth’s highest-profile media personalities, he would likely have received salary packages from Seven Network, radio stations and newspaper work.
Industry experts have estimated that during the peak of his media career, Basil may have earned more than $500,000 a year through his various jobs.
Now that he is involved in politics, his salary comes mainly from his parliamentary role.
As the Member for Churchlands and Leader of the Opposition in Western Australia, Basil reportedly earns more than $300,000 a year including allowances.
While that is less than what he may have earned during his media career, it still places him among the better-paid politicians in the state.
Basil Zempilas Contact Details
Many people search for Basil Zempilas’ contact information, especially now that he is in politics.
The best way to contact Basil is through his parliamentary office or the Western Australian Liberal Party.
As the Member for Churchlands, Basil has an electorate office where residents can contact him regarding local issues.
People can also contact him through:
- The WA Parliament website
- The Liberal Party office
- Official social media accounts
- His electorate office in Churchlands
Because Basil is such a public figure, direct personal contact details such as private phone numbers or email addresses are not publicly available.
For media interviews or official matters, requests are generally made through his office.
The Move Into Politics
Basil’s decision to enter politics was one of the biggest turning points of his life.
In 2020 he successfully ran for Lord Mayor of Perth.
As Lord Mayor, Basil focused on issues such as the Perth CBD, tourism, city business and bringing more life back into the city after the difficult COVID years.
He was often outspoken and sometimes controversial, but that has always been part of Basil’s public style.
Supporters say he is energetic, direct and willing to say what he thinks.
Critics argue that he can sometimes be too blunt.
Either way, Basil has never been someone who stays out of the headlines.
In 2025 he made an even bigger leap into state politics by becoming the WA Liberal leader.
That role now places him at the centre of Western Australian politics.
Why Basil Zempilas Remains Such a Popular Search
There are several reasons why people continue to search for Basil Zempilas online.
Firstly, he has been in the public eye for so long that many Australians feel like they know him already.
Secondly, his move from media into politics has created even more interest in his personal life and background.
Finally, Basil’s outspoken style means that he regularly makes headlines.
People want to know more about his wife, his family, his net worth and even simple details such as his height.
At the same time, there is also interest in his long television partnership with Rick Ardon and the role he played in Perth media history.
Whether people support him or disagree with him, there is no denying that Basil Zempilas has become one of the most recognisable names in Western Australia.
As his political career continues, there is every chance that Australians will be hearing a lot more about him in the years ahead.
For readers wanting more Australian news, celebrity profiles and detailed background articles, Nachrichten Radar continues to cover the latest stories and personalities making headlines across Australia and beyond.
