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$3.2b surplus drives budget relief
Updated
WA budget
Stamp duty relief as Cook, Saffioti tackle housing costs
Stamp duty relief was a key announcement in Premier Roger Cook and Treasurer Rita Saffioti’s first budget, which Cook said had something for everybody.
Winners, losers: Your five-minute guide to the WA budget
Treasurer Rita Saffioti has used her first-ever budget to address the key issues facing the state. So, how did you fare?
Breaking
WA budget
Metronet costs balloon by $700m
Stage one of the Labor government’s flagship Metronet project climbed $2 billion in 2023 alone, taking the total cost of the network to around $11.5 billion.
Rape charges against Perth bikie Troy Mercanti dropped
A woman who claimed Troy Mercanti assaulted and raped her after a night out in Northbridge has withdrawn her accusations, forcing the police to drop the charges.
Severe storm warning for Perth
Get your umbrellas out; the Bureau of Meteorology says Perth will be battered by thunderstorms on Friday.
AFR to cut print in WA after Seven’s ‘abuse of power’
The Australian Financial Review will no longer have a physical edition in Perth after Kerry Stokes’ Seven West Media doubled the cost of printing the newspaper.
Read the letter sent about radicalised schoolboy before stabbing attack
A letter from a parent dated April 3 claims a year 11 boy was trying to convert younger students to Islam through controversial videos screened in the school’s prayer room.
Updated
AFL 2024
Perth-born Suns player banned over homophobic slur
Former Claremont WAFL player Wil Powell has been given a five-match ban for using “a highly offensive homophobic slur against a Brisbane opponent”.
Can WA’s drought-ravaged forests survive this year’s prescribed burns program?
In coming weeks, the DBCA will start torching 200,000 hectares of the state to boost our defences in the face of increasing bushfires.
Opinion
Cars
COVID’s over, but used-car dealers still have Perth by the wheel nuts
During the pandemic new car supply dried up, borders slammed shut, driving in WA was our only holiday choice and dealers knew it. So how are things looking now?
Brendan Foster
Contributor
Exclusive
Police
Paramedic claims police ‘refused to attend’ WA death
Police deny they were called ‘multiple times’ to attend a Dawesville scene where an alleged altercation between two men resulted in a death.
The one major difference between Pink’s and Taylor Swift’s Australian tours
The Australian music industry has united in a campaign to help boost the struggling live scene.
Can a marriage work without sex?
Yes, say counsellors and a surprising number of happy couples.
Opinion
Gadgets
Apple’s tone-deaf iPad ad triggers darkest AI fears
Apple has made its worst marketing faux pas since it forced everyone to listen to U2.
Dave Lee
Opinion
AFL 2024
Why AFL needs to embrace the coaching merry-go-round
In overseas sports, head coaches often transition swiftly between roles, quitting or being fired from one franchise to resurface as the head coach at another.
Kane Cornes
AFL columnist
Lyon: We’d have won the Ashes 4-0 if I’d been fit
Nathan Lyon believes Australia would have won the 2023 Ashes series 4-0 if he hadn’t broken down with injury.
Updated
Paris 2024
Olympic medal hopeful suffers Achilles injury
Australia’s top gymnastics hope Georgia Godwin has suffered an Achilles injury just months out from Paris 2024.
Editor's Picks
Just in
Western Australia
Slain bikie boss’ widow sues WA government, hitman after witnessing assassination
Amanda Martin and her daughter filed a lawsuit in the Perth District Court for “damages by way of mental harm suffered” from witnessing Nick Martin be shot by a sniper.
The Perth suburbs with the most electric vehicles
WAtoday can reveal the areas with the biggest EV purchasing power, even as the state government moves to level the playing field.
Updated
Property market
‘Out of ideas’ WA government lashed for ‘leaning on lobby groups’
Greens MLC Brad Pettitt said questions should be asked about how much influence these key groups had.
Exclusive
Courts
Court confusion over released Perth detainee’s curfew requirements
A court transcript indicates an immigration detainee released following a High Court decision was granted bail by a Perth magistrate who appeared to have no idea he was subject to strict monitoring.
WA education minister distances parents’ letter from radicalised teen
West Australian Education Minister Tony Buti confirmed he had received a letter from parents about radicalisation, but it was separate from the boy who was later shot by police.
Politics
Labor’s gas boost opens new front in crossbench election battle
Teal independents, the Greens and even Labor MPs are pushing back against the government’s gas plan as a Morrison-era rerun.
Business
Orica boss says gas pledge won’t fix today’s soaring price problem
The high cost of gas in Australia is skewing investment decisions towards other countries, says manufacturing boss.
World
Biden vows US will cut off weapons to Israel if it goes into Rafah
The comments represent the most direct threat the president has made to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu since the war began on October 7.
Opinion
TikTok makes a stand against forced sale or ban in the US
Stephen Bartholomeusz
Senior business columnist
Explore
Property
Eight of our favourite luxury homes for sale right now
From a private sandy beach to equestrian facilities for horse lovers and a 15-metre pool, we’ve rounded up our pick of the bunch.
Gifts from $50k to $1m the norm: How home deposits soared to record levels
Average workers are priced out, but many property buyers who are left in the market now have extraordinary wealth – often from family.
Good Food
Lifestyle
Opinion
Parenting
How do you know if you were ‘raised right’? I’ve always felt like I’m missing something
To be brought up with money, power, beauty and status are advantages few of us are lucky to have. But to be “raised right” is a scarcer, more valuable privilege.
Wendy Syfret
Freelance writer
Culture
Opinion
Gadgets
Apple’s tone-deaf iPad ad triggers our darkest AI fears
Apple has made its worst marketing faux pas since it forced everyone to listen to U2.
Dave Lee
Traveller
Drivedrive
From Our Partners
Sport
AFL Briefing
AFL 2024
Ben Cousins responds to hall of fame snub
Carlton make four changes ahead of a huge MCG clash; Mum’s the word as the Pies prepare for Mother’s Day at Marvel; and Ben Cousins speaks out on the hall of fame.
Analysis
AFL 2024
Courage, a near miss and a shoulder hanging by a thread: The 20-second passage of play that shook the MCG
We break down the key moments from a play Blues fans will never forget the last time their side took on the Demons at the mighty MCG.
My pleas for Amiss protection not a whinge, Longmuir insists
Fremantle coach Justin Longmuir says the key forward’s safety is being compromised by ongoing rough treatment.
In just 19 balls, Fraser-McGurk heaps pressure on Australian selectors
He wasn’t deemed good enough for Australia’s T20 World Cup squad, but Jake Fraser-McGurk’s responded in the best possible way with another IPL batting blitz.
Opinion
AFL 2024
Why personalities like Sam Draper should be celebrated, not gagged
Seeing Sam Draper’s reaction to the crucial decision late in the Bombers’ last-minute win against Adelaide was revealing and hilarious – unless you barracked for the Crows.
Mathew Stokes
AFL columnist
Money Talks
AFL 2024
Danger is staying, but here’s why some of the Cats’ biggest names aren’t their highest priorities
Geelong started the season with a long list of free agents to sign, but it won’t change the wait and see approach that has served them well when it comes to their veterans.
‘Playing for their future’: Heat on Beveridge, Bulldogs ahead of Tigers clash
Western Bulldogs great Doug Hawkins is “a Bevo man” and has backed the coach to turn the Bulldogs’ season around. But he fears what could happen if his old club is beaten by Richmond on Saturday.
Have Your Say
Why this is the most important three weeks of Nicho Hynes’ career
Over the next month, the Sharks have a golden chance to shake their tag as flat-track bullies – and their star man can prove he belongs at Origin level.
Andrew Johns
League columnist