Andrew O'Connor is the presenter of 7.30 Western Australia and a reporter for ABC News.
Posted
The WA Nationals' radical plan to impose a mining tax on BHP Billiton and Rio Tinto to help solve the state's GST shortfall is labelled "crazy-brave", but not a solution, by the West Australian Treasurer.
Topics: government-and-politics, parliament, state-parliament, states-and-territories, mining-industry, industry, wa, perth-6000
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| UpdatedA long-term victim of domestic violence still living in hiding tells how a program run in Perth helped her regain her resilience and self-esteem.
Topics: domestic-violence, community-and-society, wa, perth-6000
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| UpdatedWestern Australia's Deputy Premier Liza Harvey rejects a mining tax proposed by WA Nationals leader Brendon Grylls as the solution to the Barnett Government's budget problems.
Topics: state-parliament, states-and-territories, nationals, liberals, perth-6000, wa
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| UpdatedNew WA Nationals leader Brendon Grylls reaffirms his support for the Liberal-National alliance, but repeatedly declines to guarantee it will continue to next year's state election.
Topics: state-parliament, states-and-territories, political-parties, liberals, nationals, perth-6000, wa
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| UpdatedWA Nationals leader Terry Redman declines to commit to a future government alliance with the Liberals as he arrives at State Parliament for a second day of closed-door discussions on who will lead the party going forward.
Topics: government-and-politics, nationals, political-parties, states-and-territories, wa
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| UpdatedBesieged WA Nationals leader Terry Redman confirms Brendon Grylls failed to flag a challenge to his leadership during a one-on-one meeting on Friday.
Topics: government-and-politics, nationals, political-parties, perth-6000, wa
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| UpdatedPrime Minister Malcolm Turnbull is being urged by WA Labor to reconsider his Government's $1.2 billion commitment to the Perth Freight Link project.
Topics: federal---state-issues, federal-government, states-and-territories, perth-6000, beeliar-6164, fremantle-6160, bibra-lake-6163, wa
Posted
WA Premier Colin Barnett remains certain he will lead his party to the next state election despite increasing speculation about the future of his leadership.
Topics: government-and-politics, wa
Posted
WA Opposition Leader Mark McGowan is accused by the Acting Premier of sidelining his shadow cabinet and partyroom and making a "captain's call" to support cage fighting.
Topics: martial-arts, states-and-territories, state-parliament, alp, perth-6000, wa
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| UpdatedThe mixed martial arts community welcomes a dramatic policy reversal by WA Labor which has pledged to overturn a ban on fight cages if it wins office at next year's state election.
Topics: sport, martial-arts, states-and-territories, perth-6000, wa
Posted
The Health Department is evaluating a late increase in patient numbers at the new Midland Public Hospital to determine if the hospital requires additional funding.
Topics: healthcare-facilities, state-parliament, midland-6056, perth-6000
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The State Opposition questions why a $90,000 economic analysis has been commissioned for the Perth Freight Link project.
Topics: state-parliament, urban-development-and-planning, community-and-society, fremantle-6160, perth-6000
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| UpdatedThe West Australian Government should not give up its fight for a better deal on GST revenue in the wake of the federal election, Liberal senator Dean Smith tells state Treasurer Mike Nahan.
Topics: government-and-politics, federal-government, federal-election, federal-elections, states-and-territories, tax, perth-6000, wa
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| UpdatedWestern Australia's hopes of GST reform have been dashed by the federal election after "worried" voters turned to independents and minor parties, state Treasurer Mike Nahan fears.
Topics: government-and-politics, federal-government, federal-election, federal-elections, elections, states-and-territories, perth-6000, wa
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WA Environment Minister Albert Jacob mocks Labor's commitment to the environment after the State Opposition refused to support the passage of new biodiversity legislation.
Topics: conservation, state-parliament, perth-6000
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| UpdatedSurgical patients at the new St John of God Midland Public Hospital have operations deferred following an increase in demand for services.
Topics: health-administration, healthcare-facilities, state-parliament, midland-6056, perth-6000
Posted
Legislation to end seven decades of regulation of Western Australia's potato industry is introduced in State Parliament, with the Agriculture Minister predicting benefits for consumers and growers.
Topics: agricultural-prices, agricultural-crops, agricultural-policy, state-parliament, states-and-territories, perth-6000, wa
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| UpdatedWest Australians taking cabs could soon pay a levy to help fund an expanded assistance package for the state's taxi plate owners.
Topics: road-transport, state-parliament, perth-6000
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Taxi drivers could receive greater assistance as part of the WA Government's reform package, but the Transport Minister rules out large compensation payouts or a buyback of taxi plates.
Topics: road-transport, government-and-politics, perth-6000
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| UpdatedHigh-profile Perth property developer Nigel Satterley joins residents to protest against the planned Kwinana buffer, with his comments about Liberal donations drawing the attention of Premier Colin Barnett.
Topics: states-and-territories, state-parliament, liberals, perth-6000, wa
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| UpdatedThe State Opposition rejects calls to reveal details of discussions held with prominent Perth property developer Nigel Satterley.
Topics: political-parties, state-parliament, urban-development-and-planning, housing-industry, perth-6000, kwinana-beach-6167, kwinana-town-centre-6167
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Both sides of Western Australian politics remain cautious about embracing the key recommendation of an inquiry into the Waroona bushfires, advocating the creation of a rural fire service.
Topics: fires, bushfire, emergency-planning, emergency-incidents, states-and-territories, waroona-6215, yarloop-6218, perth-6000, wa
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Western Australia's Transport Minister Dean Nalder is heckled in Parliament by taxi drivers angry at the State Government's refusal to fully compensate plate owners for the impact of deregulating the industry.
Topics: state-parliament, states-and-territories, perth-6000, wa
Posted
Organisers of a federal election debate in the seat of Fremantle have expressed frustration at the last-minute decision by Liberal candidate Pierette Kelly not to take part.
Topics: elections, federal-elections, fremantle-6160
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| UpdatedThe new $1.2 billion Perth Children's Hospital will begin accepting outpatients in October as part of a staged opening process, Premier Colin Barnett reveals.
Topics: healthcare-facilities, children, children---toddlers, states-and-territories, perth-6000