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
| UpdatedThose seeking answers about the critical decisions of WA fire authorities during the disastrous Waroona bushfires will have to wait for the release of the final report of a wide-ranging inquiry.
Topics: bushfire, waroona-6215, yarloop-6218
Posted
The State Opposition wants the Government to delay any renewal of WA's lucrative prison transport contract until after next year's state election.
Topics: law-crime-and-justice, prisons-and-punishment, perth-6000
Posted
Thousands of pensioners could be hundreds of dollars a year worse off under concession cuts being introduced by the Barnett Government, the State Opposition has warned.
Topics: community-and-society, government-and-politics, mandurah-6210
Posted
| UpdatedThe timeline for selling WA's largest port still appears uncertain, with Premier Colin Barnett doubtful the sale can be completed in this term of government.
Topics: government-and-politics, sea-transport, fremantle-6160
Posted
| UpdatedWA Premier Colin Barnett suggests children "taking a shower" before using a new $10 million water park at Elizabeth Quay may help reduce contamination problems.
Topics: environmental-health, water-pollution, perth-6000
Posted
WA Health Minister Kim Hames is confident the bacteria control problems at the Elizabeth Quay water park can be resolved.
Topics: environmental-health, water-pollution, perth-6000
Posted
| UpdatedThe WA Nationals remain uncommitted on the State Government's proposed $2 billion sale of Fremantle Port.
Topics: electricity-energy-and-utilities, sea-transport, business-economics-and-finance, states-and-territories, fremantle-6160
Posted
WA Nationals Leader Terry Redman hopes a fourth Nationals MP will make it into the Barnett Government's Cabinet, in a looming reshuffle.
Topics: government-and-politics, wa
Posted
Answers tabled in State Parliament confirm the $10 million Elizabeth Quay water park was opened without verification it was bacteria-free.
Topics: environmental-health, government-and-politics, public-sector, perth-6000
Posted
A powerful parliamentary committee is set to inquire into the effectiveness and performance of WA's Independent Public Schools.
Topics: education, educational-resources, perth-6000
Posted
Request to reallocate shark net funds from Sorrento to Quinns Rocks by the City of Wanneroo, is knocked back by the Government.
Topics: state-parliament, local-government, quinns-rocks-6030, sorrento-6020
Posted
New legislation to reform the way Western Australia's health system is planned, managed and run will also overhaul measures to deal with poor performance by staff.
Topics: health-policy, government-and-politics, perth-6000
Posted
Labor says the Transport Minister's idea of constructing tunnels under Perth's main roads to ease congestion shows the Government's transport planning is chaotic.
Topics: government-and-politics, transport, perth-6000
Posted
| UpdatedHundreds of protesters at Parliament House in Perth are told a Labor Government will repeal the Barnett Government's anti-protest laws if they are passed through Parliament.
Topics: state-parliament, wa
Posted
| UpdatedLabor vows to move the Midland train station and make it the centrepiece of new development precinct around the Midland Hospital.
Topics: government-and-politics, rail-transport, alp, midland-6056
Posted
| UpdatedThe Public Sector Commissioner will examine the Health Department's mishandling of a massive IT contract, which led to millions of dollars being wasted on unused capacity and equipment.
Topics: government-and-politics, state-parliament, information-technology, perth-6000
Posted
The State Opposition uses the opening day of Parliament to intensify its attack on the Police Minister over the continuing double-digit rise in Perth's crime rate.
Topics: state-parliament, crime-prevention, wa
Posted
| UpdatedThe Police Minister replaces Health Minister Kim Hames, who stepped down after more than seven years in the role.
Topics: political-parties, state-parliament, wa
Posted
In abandoning the much-vaunted Local Policing Teams, WA Police appear to be adopting a back-to-the-future approach to solving Perth's unrelenting crime wave.
Topics: police, crime, state-parliament, wa
Posted
The State Government rejects claims it has failed to take any concrete steps to secure federal funding for its major rail transport projects, saying it has prepared detailed submissions for the airport link.
Topics: transport, state-parliament, wa
Posted
The WA Government concedes it may have to conduct a new tender process for the first stage of the Perth Freight Link project if an environmental ruling is upheld.
Topics: road-transport, state-parliament, wa
Posted
| UpdatedA driverless electric shuttle bus is set to be trialled in Perth in a test run for the use of autonomous vehicles on West Australian roads.
Topics: science-and-technology, states-and-territories, road-transport, perth-6000
Posted
| UpdatedWestern Australian Treasurer Mike Nahan expresses disappointment at the Prime Minister's decision to shelve any plans for increasing the GST.
Topics: tax, federal---state-issues, states-and-territories, wa
Posted
| UpdatedThere are serious problems with the way the Department of Fire and Emergency Services and other agencies responded to massive bushfires in Western Australia's south last year, a report finds.
Topics: bushfire, fires, disasters-and-accidents, emergency-planning, emergency-incidents, northcliffe-6262, wa
Posted
| UpdatedThe WA Nationals abandon plans for a fundraiser aboard the Australian Navy frigate HMAS Perth, conceding it was "inappropriate" and blaming "internal excitement".
Topics: political-parties, state-parliament, states-and-territories, navy, perth-6000