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Basil Zempilas (right) is picking a fight over WA’s tourism strategy, promising ‘full transparency’ around the cost of each event lured here using taxpayer dollars if he becomes Premier, such as AFL Origin (left).

The West Australian exclusive
The West Australian exclusive
state politicsCommentsPremium
The West Australian exclusive
Liberals’ red card for secret cost of sport blockbusters

Basil Zempilas is picking a fight over WA’s tourism strategy, promising ‘full transparency’ around the cost of each event lured here using taxpayer dollars — if he becomes Premier. 

Jessica Page

Bruce and Denise Morcombe with Police minister Dan Purdie. NewsWire / John Gass.

NEWSPremiumParents flock to sex offender registry

Since Queensland launched a public sex offender registry, parents and carers have flocked to the website in massive numbers.

Georgia Palgan

The State Government have announced the launch of a new $6million program aimed to keep teenage girls involved in sport, just days before the Australian women’s team the Matilda’s take on China in the AFC Women’s Asian Cup semi-final.

Girls in SportComments$6m program to help teenage girls stay in sport

A new $6million program aimed to keep teenage girls involved in sport has been announced just days before the Matildas take on China in the AFC Women’s Asian Cup semi-final.

Sophie Gannon

From Monday, existing permits will be adjusted to remove cap loads for certain road trains.

WA NewsCommentsPremiumBigger road loads approved as fuel panic grips regional WA

Road trains will soon be authorised to carry an extra 10 tonnes of petrol, diesel and fertiliser in a bid to distribute more fuel to regional WA amidst escalating tensions in the Middle East. 

Jessica Evensen

WA’s prisons are on such a knife edge that a plan to ban smoking in jail has been abandoned amid fears it could trigger a system-wide rampage. Pictured: Corrective Services Commissioner Brad Royce and Corrective Services Minister Paul Papalia.

The West Australian exclusive
The West Australian exclusive
up in smokePremium
The West Australian exclusive
Smoking ban ‘too dangerous’ as WA prisons overwhelmed

WA’s prisons are on such a knife edge that a plan to ban smoking in jail has been abandoned amid fears it could trigger a system-wide rampage, The West Australian can reveal.

Ben Harvey

If Roger Cook is going to deliver controversial news to the public, particularly on the one-year-anniversary of your re-election, the reason behind that decision has to be explained clearly and has to be believable.

opinion
opinion
Opinion
opinion
‘Buggered’: Roger cooks his Perth move sell

If Roger Cook is going to deliver controversial news to the public — this week, his decision to move out of his own Kwinana electorate — his reasoning had to be believable. It wasn’t, says Joe Spagnolo.

Joe Spagnolo

Treasurer Rita Saffioti is under pressure to deliver substantial cost-of-living relief this budget as the Middle East conflict causes wallet pain at the bowsers.

Budget Pressure CommentsPremiumMiddle East conflict turns up budget heat on Saffioti

West Australians could be slugged two more interest rate hikes before Rita Saffioti delivers her state Budget — heaping pressure on the Government to provide cost-of-living relief amid war in the Middle East.

Joe Spagnolo

Former My Kitchen Rules contestant Blake Proud and 7NEWS Perth newsreader Angela Tsun are ready for the the Channel 7 Mandurah Crab Fest

State PoliticsCommentsCrab Fest gets government support for three more years

The crabs are cooking, the drinks are cold, the crowds are gathering and the State government has recommitted to the Channel 7 Mandurah Crab Fest. 

Rachel Fenner

Energy Minster Amber Jade Sanderson.

opinion
opinion
State PoliticsCommentsPremium
opinion
Labor quietly admits defeat in fight against coal stations

After a long wait, Amber-Jade Sanderson’s capitulation over Labor’s failing renewable energy transition away from coal-fired power was meek. 

Paul Murray

WA Premier Roger Cook has described the treatment of a local grandmother who waited in a hospital corridor for two days as "not ideal" but normal. Right: The woman's daughters Sue Chapman and Lynne Kirumira.

state politicsCommentsPremiumCook claims grandma’s ‘disgusting’ corridor care is normal

Roger Cook has described the growing use of hospital corridors for overflow treatment of elderly patients as “not ideal” but a “normal” part of flexing to meet demand.

Jessica Page

Batlow’s only service station has completely run out of fuel as Australia feels the flow-on effects from the Iran war. Supply.

NEWSPremiumAussie town completely out of fuel

An Australian town has been left in the lurch after its only service station ran out of fuel as the country feels the flow-on effects of the war in Iran.

Clareese Packer and Joseph Olbrycht-Palmer

Doctors are warning that complex elective surgery will be in limbo as the result of a decision to close two theatres at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital ‘essentially permanently’, according to a leaked email.

The West Australian exclusive
The West Australian exclusive
state politicsCommentsPremium
The West Australian exclusive
Surgery theatres to close ‘essentially permanently’

Doctors are warning that complex elective surgery will be in limbo as the result of a decision to close two theatres at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital ‘essentially permanently’, according to a leaked email.

Jessica Page

Police Minister Reece Whitby vowed the crackdown was already underway.

state politicsCommentsPremiumWA cracks down on illegal tobacco with jail time threat

Retailers peddling cheap cigarettes or illegal vapes are being warned they’ll soon be shut down, after new tobacco laws passed State Parliament. 

Jessica Page

Elsie Gribben pictured inside SJOG Midland public hospital this week.

The West Australian exclusive
The West Australian exclusive
state politicsCommentsPremium
The West Australian exclusive
System buckles as grandma left in hospital passage for days

The 88-year-old Perth grandmother is the latest face of a health system that’s buckling under growing pressure.

Jessica Page

Rita Saffioti has urged WA to embrace multi-generational living to solve Perth’s housing crisis, as she teased more stamp duty relief ahead of the State Budget in May. 

state politicsCommentsPremiumSaffioti hints at more stamp duty relief ahead of Budget

Rita Saffioti has urged WA to embrace multi-generational living to solve Perth’s housing crisis, as she teased more stamp duty relief ahead of the State Budget in May. 

Jessica Page

Premier Roger Cook will be in Albany to witness Lighting the Sound.

albany 2026Dignitaries gather in Albany to witness history being made

Politicians and international dignitaries will travel to Albany this month to enjoy the fruits of Kari Kola’s world record attempt, Lighting the Sound.

Melissa Sheil

GEN Treasurer Rita Saffioti at Crown Perth on Thursday Iain Gillespie

The West Australian exclusive
The West Australian exclusive
state politicsCommentsPremium
The West Australian exclusive
Off-the-plan carrot aims to convince WA seniors to downsize

Stamp duty relief for off-the-plan apartments will be extended as the Cook Government faces pressure to use a $2 billion Budget windfall to fuel housing supply.

Jessica Page

Infrastructure Australia has emphasised the physical and strategic links between the twin developments of Westport for commercial shipping and the Henderson Defence Precinct.

Infrastructure prioritiesCommentsPremiumWA’s mega projects a priority for fed Government: IA report

Infrastructure Australia has emphasised the physical and strategic links between the twin developments of Westport for commercial shipping and the Henderson Defence Precinct.

Katina Curtis & John Flint

WA Premier Roger Cook has held a round table with industry leaders in regards to fuel supply issues due to the crisis in the middle east. Pictured is the Premier at Dumas House Justin Benson-Cooper

state politicsCommentsPremiumWA cooks up ‘commonsense’ plan to ease petrol pain

A seven-point plan has been announced to safeguard WA’s fuel supplies after Roger Cook was warned that farmers and small miners were within weeks of running out. 

Jessica Page and Simone Grogan

Friends of Nanarup at a gathering to protest against a proposed desalination plant.

Salt linePremiumProtesters line lagoon to protest against desalination plant

About 150 people turned out to support the Friends of Nanarup campaign against the proposal to build a desalination plant near the beach.

Claire Middleton

Attorney-General Tony Buti said there’s evidence early intervention works. 

state politicsCommentsTrial targets kids as young as five to tackle youth crime

Children as young as five will be the target of a new trial aiming to get troubled kids in Armadale and Geraldton back to class, and away from a cycle of crime. 

Jessica Page

Ms Higginson attended the anti-Herzog protest in Sydney and is a vocal pro-Palestinian advocate. NewsWire / Gaye Gerard

POLITICSBig question on pro-Palestine chant

The NSW Attorney-General has dodged questions on plans to make a pro-Palestinian chant illegal in a heated Senate estimates hearing.

Jack Nivison

A primary school student allegedly made comments celebrating the Bondi Beach terror attack. Newswire/ John Appleyard

UPDATEDPremium‘Disgusting’: Kid ‘celebrated Bondi deaths’

A primary school student allegedly celebrated the deaths of 15 people after the Bondi massacre according to claims made during a budget estimates hearing.

Jack Nivison and Rhiannon Lewin

Roger cook moving to West Perth Illustration: Don Lindsay Don Lindsay

opinion
opinion
Jessica PageCommentsPremium
opinion
City-bound Cook must maintain connection with the suburbs

Most of us can’t afford to skip the traffic jam and move closer to the office, but the real political danger for Labor is losing touch with the outer suburbs.

Jessica Page