Andrew O'Connor has been a journalist for 30 years, most of that time with ABC News and current affairs as reporter and producer.
He currently works as a reporter and video journalist covering stories for ABC News on television, radio and online.
Posted
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull's plan to establish a minimum guaranteed share of GST for states and territories is unlikely to deliver any financial benefit to WA until at least 2019.
Topics: federal---state-issues, wa
Posted
Research to assess the route and cost of a proposed heavy rail link to Morley will take "years" to complete, Dean Nalder tells State Parliament.
Topics: rail-transport, urban-development-and-planning, state-parliament, morley-6062, thornlie-6108
Posted
| UpdatedFederal Liberal Party criticism of counter-terrorism expert and new Cowan MP Anne Aly was inappropriate and backfired during the Federal election campaign, West Australian Premier Colin Barnett concedes.
Topics: federal-election, government-and-politics, wa
Posted
The WA Nationals claim credit for convincing the state's racing industry to embrace the potential benefits of privatising the TAB after previous concerns it was being sidelined.
Topics: privatisation-and-deregulation, gambling, horse-racing, state-parliament, wa
Posted
The future of Western Power remains unclear with the Nationals open to supporting its privatisation and Premier Colin Barnett saying the Liberal Party is yet to decide whether it will be sold.
Topics: government-and-politics, electricity-energy-and-utilities, state-parliament, wa
Posted
| UpdatedWest Australian Premier Colin Barnett uses his keynote speech at the Liberal Party state conference to urge the doubters in his parliamentary ranks "unequivocally" back his leadership and focus on winning next year's election.
Topics: political-parties, elections, wa
Posted
Can WA's economic woes be reversed by an ambitious Nationals plan to tax big mining companies or the Prime Minister's GST redistribution "idea"?
Topics: tax, federal---state-issues, political-parties, government-and-politics, wa
Posted
| UpdatedPrime Minister Malcolm Turnbull commits the Commonwealth to establishing a floor in GST distribution to the states to avoid any repeat of the "unprecedented" collapse in WA's GST revenue.
Topics: tax, federal---state-issues, political-parties, wa
Posted
West Australian Liberal MPs are told to stop publicly undermining the leadership of Premier Colin Barnett and creating the perception the party cannot govern itself.
Topics: political-parties, tax, wa
Posted
Prominent federal Liberal MP Ken Wyatt adds his voice to the chorus of opposition to a proposed mining tax being spruiked by new WA Nationals leader Brendon Grylls.
Topics: nationals, government-and-politics, states-and-territories, wa
Posted
| UpdatedA senior WA National MP who quit his Cabinet post to make way for the return of new leader Brendon Grylls says he's "very, very comfortable" with his decision.
Topics: state-parliament, nationals, wa, perth-6000
Posted
The WA Nationals' plan to introduce a mining tax to solve the Barnett Government's budget problems could prove an unlikely electoral advantage for the party in next year's state election, according to analysts.
Topics: mining-industry, government-and-politics, wa, perth-6000
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| UpdatedA marathon special meeting of the WA Nationals to determine the leadership of the party is adjourned without resolution after almost four hours.
Topics: government-and-politics, nationals, perth-6000
Posted
Colin Barnett predicts construction of a rail line to Ellenbrook will happen "well before" the forecast date of beyond 2050.
Topics: government-and-politics, urban-development-and-planning, community-and-society, states-and-territories, ellenbrook-6069, perth-6000
Posted
| UpdatedThe Barnett Government will seek a third term without trying to lure voters with major election commitments, with the Premier saying it must take a "realistic" approach.
Topics: elections, state-parliament, perth-6000, wa
Posted
| UpdatedThe opening of the new $1.2 billion Perth Children's Hospital will be further delayed after contractor John Holland fails to complete the building for the scheduled handover date of August 4.
Topics: health, states-and-territories, healthcare-facilities, child-health-and-behaviour, perth-6000, wa
Posted
| UpdatedWork to upgrade filtration systems at Perth's troubled water park is completed, but no date is set for the reopening of the $13 million facility.
Topics: water-pollution, water-management, government-and-politics, perth-6000
Posted
There appears to be no certainty the Barnett Government will pursue a heavy rail line to Morley as its next priority public transport project, with Treasurer Mike Nahan arguing a new line from Thornlie to Cockburn would deliver better value for money.
Topics: rail-transport, road-transport, government-and-politics, urban-development-and-planning, morley-6062, mandurah-6210, thornlie-6108, perth-6000
Posted
| UpdatedWA Treasurer Mike Nahan calls on Liberal MPs to stop attempting to destabilise Premier Colin Barnett's leadership, saying the pressure is not coming from the backbench.
Topics: government-and-politics, political-parties, wa
Posted
| UpdatedActing WA Premier Liza Harvey denies there is division within the highest ranks of the Barnett Government over the proposed sale of Western Power.
Topics: government-and-politics, wa
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| UpdatedThe validity of more than 50 past prosecutions by WA's corruption watchdog are in question after a Court of Appeal decision which put in doubt cases it conducted in the Magistrates Court.
Topics: corruption, states-and-territories, state-parliament, perth-6000, wa, broome-6725
Posted
| UpdatedThe sale of Western Power is emerging as a key divide between Western Australia's Treasurer and Premier on how to tackle the state's spiralling debt, Andrew O'Connor writes.
Topics: electricity-energy-and-utilities, privatisation-and-deregulation, government-and-politics, wa
Posted
The WA Treasurer is pressing ahead with plans to privatise Western Power despite Premier Colin Barnett's deepening reservations about whether the public will support the deal.
Topics: privatisation-and-deregulation, electricity-energy-and-utilities, wa
Posted
The Barnett Government revives hopes of delivering the promised Albany-Bunbury Gas Pipeline, with the Premier confirming the Government was considering a private bid to undertake the project.
Topics: oil-and-gas, albany-6330, bunbury-6230
Posted
| UpdatedWA Transport Minister Dean Nalder believes voters will trust the Barnett Government on the key issue of transport, despite breaking its promise to build the Max Light Rail link to Mirrabooka.
Topics: urban-development-and-planning, government-and-politics, perth-6000