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Morning Edition
Our guide to the most important stories, analysis and insights.
‘A small mortgage’: Perth private school costs revealed
WA families can expect to fork out between $74,369 to $210,296 per child over the duration of their schooling starting in 2021. A new online calculator allows families to work out how much it will cost to send their children to schools.
Explainer
Home loans
Why are house prices rising again? And can it last?
Don’t values drop when there’s a recession? What’s going on – and can the rise continue?
Breaking
Air accident
Pilot freed from plane wreckage after Narrogin airstrip crash
Department of Fire and Emergency Services crews from the surrounding districts and St John Ambulance teams rushed to the scene at the Narrogin Aerodrome on Thursday.
WA surfer’s mental health forces murder sentencing delay
Margaret River surfer Tony Hardy pleaded guilty over the murder of his landlord David Graves in January 2018. But conflicting assessments of his mental state at the time have led his sentencing to be postponed.
Exclusive
Perth
Perth magistrate sues Children’s Court president over attempt to push her back to adults’ court
The magistrate is a long-time campaigner for improving the justice system’s understanding of fetal alcohol spectrum disorder.
Fortescue boss optimistic of thawing in China-Australia relationship
FMG chief executive Elizabeth Gaines is optimistic a new US president and new Australian trade minister will help thaw frosty relations between Australia and China.
WA MP King comes out on top in Albanese frontbench reshuffle
Federal Labor MP Madeleine King was the biggest West Australian winner out of Anthony Albanese’s shadow cabinet reshuffle.
Rio creates new Australia CEO role after Juukan blast disaster
Rio Tinto’s new chief executive Jakob Stausholm has moved quickly to restore the miner’s battered reputation, creating a new Australian CEO role headed by Kellie Parker.
Updated
Crime
Mum of City Beach attack victim tells of son’s assault horror
“About 10 other people just surrounded him and he was just down on the ground ... he’s got bruises just all over his body just from defending his mate,” she said.
Perth millionaire’s alleged accomplices extradited to US over $65m phone scam
Two Sydney men have been extradited to the US while a BRW Rich Lister who partied with Snoop Dogg awaits his fate in a Perth jail.
McGowan defends $1 price tag for East Perth power station despite $26m Landgate value
Details of the agreement between the government and billionaires Kerry Stokes and Andrew Forrest remain shrouded in secrecy.
Outrage over rich couple’s alleged vaccine queue-jumping trip to Indigenous community
The casino CEO and his actress wife allegedly flew to a remote community in Yukon Territory on a chartered flight and posed as hotel workers.
Ratings are in: The worst Test pitch in Australia this summer
No pitch was safe this Australian summer, with all receiving downgraded ratings from ICC match referee David Boon. But the SCG fared the worst.
Biden’s top diplomatic duo ready to lead the world, take on China
Tony Blinken says hunger for US leadership is ‘almost palpable’.
Western Australia
Man charged with murder of ‘higher end drug dealer’ dumped in bin at Perth dam
Dinh Lam Nguyen was last seen in Balga, where he lived, on Wednesday, January 20. He was reported missing two days later.
WA miner’s shares soar on back of bizarre GameStop trading frenzy
A local mining company has been caught up in the craze surrounding US company GameStop thanks to its ASX code matching the American video game retailer.
Property Council pushes $10k rebate for FIFO workers moving to WA
The Property Council of WA has released its pre-election wishlist, which includes a $10,000 payroll tax rebate for employers who relocate staff from interstate.
US gas company goes for green light to frack the Kimberley
The government hasn’t finished enshrining the regulations to be placed on the fledgling fracking industry in WA, but resource companies are ready to go.
WA Liberal candidate quits after blog post linking COVID-19 to 5G towers
A blog post by Andrea Tokaji on conservative website Caldron Pool pushed discredited theories that major pandemics were related to radio wave technologies.
Politics
Updated
Political leadership
‘Strongest team to form government’: Labor announces major reshuffle
Anthony Albanese announced a major shake-up of his frontbench aimed at calming internal tensions over policy direction ahead of the next election.
Business
‘Stunned’: GameStop trading frenzy causes local company shares to soar
A local mining company has been caught up in the investing craze surrounding GameStop thanks to its ASX code matching that of the US video game retailer.
World
Thousands brave cold, virus surge to protest abortion ban in Poland
A contentious near-total ban on abortion in Poland has come into effect, despite rampant opposition from hundreds of thousands of Poles.
Opinion
Labor disunity on display, but there’s logic to the reshuffle
David Crowe
Chief political correspondent
Flawed logic behind a taxpayer-built gas generator
Lisa Zembrodt
We must stem toxic tide of extremism
Greg Barton
A plea for the kids returning to our hottest schools
Anneliese Alexander
Explore
Property bydomain
![Behind the facade, a $1 tree sparked a stunning renovation](http://web.archive.org./web/20210128105823im_/https://res.akamaized.net/domain/image/upload/t_web/c_fill,w_1024/c_fill,w_640,h_360/v1611125059/From_the_streetfront_Strawberry_House_still_appears_to_be_two_heritage_properties._Photo_Michael_Lassman_pxlyye.jpg)
Behind the facade, a $1 tree sparked a stunning renovation
Because of a council quirk that considers this tree a protected species instead of a weed, the architects had to get creative. Take a look inside.
![Perth house prices reach a three-year high despite the pandemic](http://web.archive.org./web/20210128105823im_/https://res.akamaized.net/domain/image/upload/t_web/c_fill,w_1024/c_fill,w_640,h_360/v1611720616/210127_Perth_fsggpr.jpg)
Perth house prices reach a three-year high despite the pandemic
Perth's property market is recovering despite the economic turmoil of 2020 as expats return and buyers take advantage of low interest rates.
Life & Culture
How to help kids prepare to return to school after a topsy-turvy year
The pandemic year challenged even the most resilient students – education experts explain how parents can help make the start of the new school year as smooth as possible.
Food bygoodfood
Travel bytraveller
Cars bydrive
From Our Partners
Sport
Kenin wary of record-seeking Williams, heaps praise on Djokovic
The 39-year-old is running out of time in her pursuit of Margaret Court’s grand slam record, but the defending Australian Open champion is tipping her to get there this year.
Top sports doctor says new AFL concussion rule is ‘a backward step’
Nathan Gibbs has questioned how giving players extra time on the sidelines once they have recovered from concussion will help the AFL.
‘We have to listen’: Health first as Selwood backs concussion rules
Geelong captain Joel Selwood admits he thinks about the potential impact football has had on his health more as he gets older.
Ratings are in: The worst Test pitch in Australia this summer
No pitch was safe this Australian summer, with all receiving downgraded ratings from ICC match referee David Boon.
Updated
AFL 2021
AFL mandates 12 days off for players who suffer concussion
The AFL has announced that any player who suffers a concussion must sit out for a minimum of 12 days under the league’s revised protocols.
Barty and co weigh up travel all the way to Wimbledon
Ashleigh Barty and her team have got a playing schedule mapped out until Wimbledon but the world No.1 will adopt the same health-first mantra with any decisions on travel.
Man United stunned by home loss to bottom club Sheffield United
Chris Wilder’s side went into the game with the worst record, after 19 matches, in EPL history, and knocked off a United team that had been unbeaten in 13 matches.
Have Your Say
Winner of Herald’s Wallabies jersey poll to have ‘major bearing’ on selection: RA
More than 13,000 readers voted in the Herald’s poll on which coloured Wallabies jersey they would like to see used from 2021. Here are the results.