Andrew O'Connor is the presenter of 7.30 Western Australia and a reporter for ABC News.
Posted
| UpdatedThere is renewed confusion over the State Government's plans to sell the government-owned betting agency, the TAB, with the treasurer saying it is "not a priority".
Topics: government-and-politics, states-and-territories, wa
Posted
| UpdatedA report into the shocking death of a newborn baby by his teenage father shows miscalculation of risk can have fatal consequences.
Topics: murder-and-manslaughter, child-abuse, bunbury-6230
Posted
The Department of Health knew a potentially dangerous bacterium was present at the Elizabeth Quay water park eight days before it moved to shut it down, a report reveals.
Topics: health, diseases-and-disorders, perth-6000
Posted
| UpdatedFormer federal minister Stephen Smith rules out challenging for the WA Labor leadership before the next state election after the party's caucus passes a unanimous motion of support for Mark McGowan.
Topics: alp, state-parliament, states-and-territories, perth-6000
Posted
| UpdatedFormer federal Labor leader Kim Beazley predicts Mark McGowan will win next year's state election and deflects speculation his leadership is under threat, amid calls for Stephen Smith to contest the position.
Topics: political-parties, state-parliament, states-and-territories, perth-6000, rockingham-6168
Posted
The State Opposition questions the Government's handling of amoeba contamination at Elizabeth Quay water park, saying the health department was "pressured" to approve it.
Topics: government-and-politics, perth-6000
Posted
| UpdatedAn overhaul of vocational training in WA may lead to a rationalisation of courses being offered at individual campuses.
Topics: vocational, education, wa
Posted
| UpdatedThe sale of state electricity network operator Western Power now seems likely, with WA Premier Colin Barnett saying the Government has little alternative.
Topics: government-and-politics, privatisation-and-deregulation, wa
Posted
| UpdatedA joint venture led by Italian industrial group Salini Impregilo is selected to build and maintain Perth's $2 billion Forrestfield Airport Rail Link.
Topics: urban-development-and-planning, perth-6000, bayswater-6053, forrestfield-6058
Posted
Almost $4 million will be spent scoping work to improve one of Western Australia's most lethal country roads.
Topics: road, states-and-territories, toodyay-6566, northam-6401
Posted
| UpdatedA pledge to sell off the port of Fremantle this year by West Australian Treasurer Mike Nahan is labelled "desperate" by the State Opposition.
Topics: privatisation-and-deregulation, sea-transport, states-and-territories, fremantle-6160, perth-6000
Posted
The WA Government assures the football community arrangements for distributing money raised at the new Perth Stadium will give football "the opportunity" to generate sufficient revenue to grow the game.
Topics: australian-football-league, sport, perth-6000
Posted
| UpdatedThe bushfire alert system in Western Australia could be overhauled to create better "situational awareness", Andrew O'Connor writes.
Topics: bushfire, safety, safety-education, yarloop-6218
Posted
What was dubbed Perth's winter crime surge continues unabated, with the latest crime statistics showing big hikes in offences against people and property.
Topics: law-crime-and-justice, crime-prevention, burglary, domestic-violence, perth-6000
Posted
| UpdatedWest Australians scramble to scoop up their last minute Christmas Day menu items at stores across Perth, with seafood bargains prompting people to queue from the early hours of the morning.
Topics: christmas, lifestyle-and-leisure, religion-and-beliefs, community-and-society, perth-6000, leederville-6007
Posted
| UpdatedThe West Australian Opposition delivers a scathing assessment of the Barnett Government's expected $3.1 billion budget deficit, which it says shows the economy has "fallen off a cliff".
Topics: budget, government-and-politics, perth-6000, wa
Posted
| UpdatedWestern Australia's budget deficit will blow out to $3.1 billion by the end of the financial year, with the state's Treasurer saying it is the biggest revenue shock experienced in Australia since the Great Depression.
Topics: government-and-politics, business-economics-and-finance, budget, wa
Posted
| UpdatedThe WA Government appoints independent auditors to carry out a full review of the Environmental Protection Authority, in the wake of a Supreme Court ruling which found the agency's approval of the controversial Roe 8 highway extension was flawed.
Topics: government-and-politics, states-and-territories, environment, wa, beeliar-6164
Posted
Intensive care services at Fremantle Hospital may be scaled back next year, with Fiona Stanley Hospital to take over management of the smaller facility from February.
Topics: health, fremantle-6160
Posted
Premier Colin Barnett says he has not had any detailed discussion with Perth Lord Mayor Lisa Scaffidi about her future, despite reports that the pair were due to meet earlier this week.
Topics: government-and-politics, local-government, perth-6000
Posted
| UpdatedPatients can be shunted into "overflow areas" at all WA hospitals, the Health Department confirms, after another patient claims to have been kept in a gym room at Fiona Stanley Hospital.
Topics: health, healthcare-facilities, perth-6000
Posted
| UpdatedMore than 1,000 protesters are urged to pressure Liberal MPs to halt the Barnett Government's $500 million plan to extend the Roe Highway across the Beeliar Wetlands.
Topics: urban-development-and-planning, environment, beeliar-6164
Posted
| UpdatedThe potential exposure of more than 100 Water Corporation employees to asbestos must be investigated in an independent inquiry, the WA State Opposition says.
Topics: disasters-and-accidents, safety, workplace, occupational-health-and-safety, minnivale-6462
Posted
| UpdatedWestern Australia's health system will face significant job cuts over the next eight months as the Health Department tries to reduce costs in line with national funding levels.
Topics: health, healthcare-facilities, state-parliament, wa
Posted
Western Australia's health system will face significant job cuts over the next eight months as the Health Department tries to reduce costs in line with national funding levels.
Topics: health, healthcare-facilities, state-parliament, wa