Andrew O'Connor
Andrew O'Connor is the presenter of 7.30 Western Australia and a reporter for ABC News.
No killer blows as close of WA election campaign draws near
Posted
Week three of WA's election campaign saw the leaders go head to head in the only live televised debate, but neither Premier Colin Barnett or Opposition Leader Mark McGowan manage to deliver a decisive blow dispatching their opponent to political oblivion.
Topics: government-and-politics, elections, wa
'Aggressive' focus on credibility in WA election's only leaders' debate
Posted
With just over two weeks to polling day, WA's political leaders clash in a televised debate over debt, experience and political promises, with each trying to "aggressively" undermine the other's credibility.
Topics: government-and-politics, elections, wa
WA major parties launch their pitch for your vote (photos)
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Labor is pledging local jobs while the Liberal Party emphasises its political record after two terms in office, as the parties make their formal pitches for Western Australia's vote in the upcoming March election to the sounds of Daft Punk and ACDC.
Topics: government-and-politics, political-parties, elections, wa
Liberals eye more private sector prisons, hospitals to cut WA debt
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A re-elected Barnett Government would take a hard line on reforming the public sector and launch a push towards privatising more services to help restore the budget to surplus, the WA Treasurer reveals.
Topics: elections, states-and-territories, state-parliament, perth-6000, wa
Analysis: Facts, figures and fakery claims litter WA campaign Analysis
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The Barnett Government starts the first full week of the 2017 election campaign levelling claims of "fake funding" at Labor, and finishes it in a rear-guard attempt to defend its own economic record.
Topics: government-and-politics, elections, states-and-territories, perth-6000, wa
Singing in the rain, WA election preference deals and quokkas
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It was a wet day for those on the state election campaign trail as heavy downpours drenched Perth and much of southern Western Australia — here's what you need to know about what happened.
Topics: elections, government-and-politics, states-and-territories, perth-6000, wa
Hanson stands by WA election candidates on visit to South West
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Pauline Hanson concedes it will be tough to keep her planned field of 60 One Nation candidates on message during the WA election campaign, but says it will be up to voters to make their own decision at the polling booth.
Topics: one-nation, elections, states-and-territories, pauline-hanson, bunbury-6230, perth-6000, wa
Hanson rolls into Perth to launch One Nation's WA election campaign
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Pauline Hanson is confident her One Nation party can win up to six seats at the West Australian election, but the Queensland senator will not say where she will be directing preferences.
Topics: elections, one-nation, perth-6000, wa
Burka 'not part of our culture' but no plans for ban: WA Premier
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WA Premier Colin Barnett rules out any attempt to ban Muslims from wearing burkas, but says he would prefer "that type of clothing" was not worn in Australia.
Topics: religion-and-beliefs, islam, discrimination, law-crime-and-justice, wa
Greens push for rural fire service ahead of WA election
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The WA Greens will go to the state election campaigning for the rapid creation of a fully independent rural fire service and improved fire standards for new housing developments in high-risk areas.
Harvey interested in WA Liberal leadership, but not yet (photos)
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WA's Deputy Premier Liza Harvey rules out a last-minute Liberal leadership change, despite polls showing her to be more popular than the Premier.
Topics: elections, state-parliament, perth-6000, wa
No pause for Roe 8 clearing work ahead of WA election
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The Barnett Government rules out any pause to the clearing of bushland for the Roe Highway extension, despite Labor's pledge to scrap the project if it wins the March state election.
Topics: states-and-territories, liberals, alp, perth-6000, beeliar-6164, bibra-lake-6163, wa
Perth's Naturescape gets $3m upgrade
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A new rock pool and aerial walkway will be centrepieces of a $3-million upgrade to the children's Naturescape playground in Kings Park, designed to get kids off their screens and into the bush.
Topics: government-and-politics, elections, wa, perth-6000
Early campaign blitz by WA Labor will 'fade into history', ministers argue
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Senior Barnett Government ministers deny the Liberals have been left flat-footed by a relentless barrage of policy announcements from WA Labor ahead of the March state election.
Topics: states-and-territories, state-parliament, elections, government-and-politics, perth-6000, wa
Filters eyed as real answer to Perth Children's Hospital lead problem
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Lead filtration systems may be accepted as the fix to water contamination problems at the new $1.2-billion Perth Children's Hospital, the Barnett Government says.
Topics: health, government-and-politics, urban-development-and-planning, perth-6000, wa
Confusion as Deputy Premier contradicts Treasurer on Roe 8
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There is deepening confusion over claims a Labor decision to axe Roe 8 would cost more than 3,000 jobs, with Liza Harvey directly contradicting Mike Nahan.
Topics: government-and-politics, elections, perth-6000, wa
WA Labor sets sights on revenge porn, violent offenders, 'No body, no parole' policy
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WA Labor pledges to toughen sentencing conditions for violent offenders, outlaw revenge porn, and to introduce "no body, no parole" laws for convicted murders if it wins the state election.
Topics: laws, police, crime, perth-6000, wa
Perth Freight Link funding row deepens as minister brushes off WA Labor plans (photos)
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The Federal Government warns WA Labor it cannot simply "reallocate" $1.2 billion earmarked for the Perth Freight Link to other projects if it cancels Roe 8.
Topics: federal---state-issues, states-and-territories, perth-6000, wa
Roe 8 job loss claims 'massively' overstated, Labor says
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WA Labor claims the Barnett Government massively overstated the potential job losses that would flow from the party's plan to axe the Roe 8 extension across the Beeliar Wetlands.
Topics: government-and-politics, urban-development-and-planning, perth-6000, wa, wanneroo-6065
Perth Freight Link funding row 'cheap politics': WA Opposition
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WA Labor leader Mark McGowan dismisses the Federal Government's claims Commonwealth funding for Roe 8 and the Perth Freight Link cannot be reallocated to other state projects.
Topics: states-and-territories, federal---state-issues, perth-6000, wa, wanneroo-6065
Labor vows to target WA's 120 worst young offenders
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The worst juvenile offenders in WA would be targeted under an Opposition election promise to revive a program supporting dysfunctional families, amid ongoing problems at Banksia Hill Detention Centre.
Topics: youth, crime, prisons-and-punishment, states-and-territories, perth-6000, canning-vale-6155, wa
Nahan eyes 'basic problem' despite $527m drop in WA deficit (photos)
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The WA Government's final economic forecast ahead of the March state election reveals a smaller than forecast deficit this year, however the budget will still finish $3.39 billion in the red - with the Treasurer again pushing for GST reform.
Topics: government-and-politics, business-economics-and-finance, wa, perth-6000
One Nation to oppose privatisation and mining tax in WA
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Pauline Hanson draws clear battlelines for the state election, opposing key Liberal and Nationals policies including the privatisation of Western Power and the iron ore mining tax.
Topics: government-and-politics, perth-6000, wa
Iron ore royalties tipped to boost WA bottom line
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The WA Government's mid-year budget review is expected to show a slight improvement in its forecast $3.9 billion deficit due to increased iron ore royalties.
Topics: states-and-territories, government-and-politics, budget, perth-6000, wa
WA Labor vows to build Metronet stage one in first eight years (photos)
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WA Labor commits to completing the first stage of its promised Metronet rail network within eight years of taking office, but the State Government rubbishes the plans.
Topics: rail-transport, states-and-territories, perth-6000, wa
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