Western Australia

An Australian jury convicted Christopher Saunders, a former Catholic bishop, of sexually abusing two young Indigenous men over an alleged period between 2008 and 2019. The convictions included charges such as sexual penetration without consent and indecent assaults. This conviction occurs amid the global clergy abuse scandal and following investigations by the Vatican and Western Australia Police Force.

Unionized workers at BHP Group's Port Hedland iron ore export hub have begun 24-hour strikes. The action is escalating a pay dispute ahead of scheduled meetings with the company.

Unions at BHP Group’s Port Hedland operations in Western Australia are threatening 24-hour rolling strikes next week due to a labor dispute at the world’s largest iron ore export hub.

Experts argue that a proposed oil refinery in Western Australia is 'dinosaur technology' requiring government subsidies, as a $4m feasibility study by the Albanese and WA governments aims to assess its viability amid calls to invest in green energy instead.

SQM and Wesfarmers are expanding their Covalent Lithium joint venture by building a second concentrator in Western Australia, signaling confidence in long-term electric vehicle demand. The project underscores their commitment to the lithium market amid expectations of a rebound in EV-related industries.

The Albanese government's approval of Woodside’s North West Shelf gas project in Western Australia is being challenged in federal court by the Australian Conservation Foundation and Friends of Australian Rock Art. The project, labeled a 'carbon bomb,' will test how Australia’s environment laws address the climate crisis.

British YouTuber and musician Yung Filly has pleaded not guilty to six counts of sexually penetrating a 20-year-old woman without consent in a Perth hotel room in September 2024. The incident allegedly occurred after a gig in Western Australia, with the court hearing claims he bit and slapped the victim during the assault.

Workers at BHP Group’s Port Hedland operations in Western Australia will stage the first strike at the company’s Pilbara iron ore hub since 2000. The strike follows failed last-ditch talks to prevent industrial action.

Bird flu (H5N1) has been confirmed in South Australia after a migratory seabird tested positive, with a suspected case reported in Western Australia involving a southern giant petrel. This would bring the total number of infections to four if confirmed.

Poultry farms in Western Australia have been locked down after the H5N1 bird flu was confirmed in wild birds, including a brown skua. Ingham’s Group, Australia’s largest poultry producer, announced a complete lockdown in WA despite no commercial detections of the virus.

H5N1 bird flu has been confirmed in Australia for the first time, with the virus detected in a brown skua near Esperance, Western Australia. The outbreak marks the virus's spread to every continent, though no poultry infections or mass mortality have been reported on the mainland.

A migratory sea bird in Western Australia tested positive for the H5 bird flu variant, marking the first confirmed case in Australia. The country was previously the only continent without detected H5 strain.

Australia reported its first case of H5 bird flu, which has now spread to every continent. The case was detected in a migratory sea bird, a brown skua, in Western Australia, confirmed by the national science agency, with another bird, a giant petrel, showing suspected positive results.

Australia confirms its first case of H5N1 bird flu in Western Australia. Agriculture Minister Julie Collins confirmed a brown skua found unwell at Cape Le Grand national park tested positive for the disease. Another suspected case is under investigation.

Australia detected its first suspected mainland case of H5N1 bird flu in a brown skua found in Western Australia’s Cape Le Grand National Park. Authorities are confirming the strain, and the country has been preparing for such an outbreak through biosecurity measures and wildlife testing.

Prisoners in Western Australia are living in overcrowded cells with inadequate sleeping conditions, described as 'cruel, inhuman or degrading' by the state's custodial services inspector. The report attributes these conditions to a systemic failure across multiple prisons and calls for urgent reform.

A 35-year-old spearfisherman was killed by a suspected 15-foot shark off Western Australia's Michaelmas Island, marking the third fatal shark attack in the country in less than a month. Other recent fatalities include a 39-year-old and a 38-year-old spearfisher killed by sharks in May, and a 12-year-old boy in Sydney Harbor in January.

A 35-year-old spearfisher was killed in Australia's third fatal shark attack in four weeks after being attacked by a suspected 4.5-meter white shark off Michaelmas Island. Previous attacks occurred on May 24 (Great Barrier Reef) and May 16 (near Rottnest Island), with another incident in January involving a 12-year-old boy in Sydney Harbor.

A male diver has died after an attack by a suspected 4.5-meter shark near Michaelmas Island off Western Australia. This incident marks the third fatal shark attack in Australia in three weeks.

A man died after being bitten by a shark while spearfishing off Michaelmas Island in Western Australia with his family, according to police and local reports.

A man died in Western Australia after being bitten by a shark while fishing, according to police. The incident occurred during a fishing activity.

A man has died after being attacked by a shark while fishing off the coast of Western Australia, marking the third fatal shark attack in Australia in three weeks.

A 35-year-old male diver died after being bitten by a suspected 4.5-metre shark near Michaelmas Island, Western Australia. Paramedics treated him for over two hours before his death, confirmed by the state’s police force.

A diphtheria outbreak in Yuendumu, a remote Northern Territory community, is causing concern due to a lack of hand sanitiser at the health clinic and a three-week delay for test results. Over 240 cases have been reported in remote Indigenous communities across the Northern Territory, South Australia, Queensland, and Western Australia since October.

Tens of thousands of residents in Perth, Western Australia, are without power as a destructive storm with wind gusts up to 125km/h hits the region. Authorities warn the worst of the weather is still to come, urging residents to avoid windows.

A major storm with cyclone-strength winds is impacting Western Australia, warning residents of wind gusts exceeding 125km/h. The storm will bring icy weather to New South Wales, Victoria, and South Australia early next week.

BHP has delayed its emissions reduction efforts, with a senior executive unable to provide a timeline for replacing diesel trucks. Western Australia's premier emphasized that miners have a 'moral obligation' to decarbonize, as leaked documents reveal stalled progress that could jeopardize Australia's national emissions targets.

Australia has confirmed its first diphtheria death in what is being called the worst outbreak in decades. Most cases are concentrated in the Northern Territory, with additional cases reported in Western Australia, South Australia, and Queensland.

Australia has confirmed its first diphtheria death amid the worst outbreak in decades, with most cases concentrated in the Northern Territory and additional cases in Western Australia, South Australia, and Queensland.

Australia has confirmed its first diphtheria death amid the worst outbreak in decades, with most cases reported in the Northern Territory and additional cases in Western Australia, South Australia, and Queensland.

Leaked documents reveal BHP, the world's largest miner, has delayed or halted climate action projects, including emissions reduction and renewable energy initiatives in Western Australia's Pilbara region. Internal memos show the company is war-gaming strategies to push major climate investments into the next two decades.

Steven Mattaboni, a 38-year-old surveyor from Perth, was killed in a shark attack at Rottnest Island in Western Australia. He was a devoted parent to two young daughters and an avid fisher. The incident occurred at Horseshoe Reef on Saturday morning.

A man was killed by a 13ft shark at Horseshoe Reef near Rottnest Island in Western Australia. The incident occurred north-west of the popular island near the city of Perth. Local police are investigating the attack.

A man was killed by a 13ft great white shark in Western Australia near Rottnest Island. The incident occurred at Horseshoe Reef, north-west of Rottnest Island, close to the city of Perth. Local police reported the incident happened just before 10:00 local time.

US mining company Alcoa is facing further investigation for deliberately breaching environmental laws at its Willowdale mine in Western Australia, destroying habitat for protected species including black cockatoos, quokkas, and numbats. This follows a $55 million settlement in February for similar violations at its Huntly mine, and a previous $40 million penalty to avoid prosecution.

Scientists discovered a hidden deep-sea world off the coast of Western Australia, uncovering 226 species including bizarre marine life and signs of the giant squid. The discovery was made by analyzing DNA traces in seawater from depths exceeding 4 kilometers. This find may include unknown species to science.

Four Australian citizens and two others will fly from the Netherlands to Western Australia after being on a cruise ship with a hantavirus outbreak. They will wear full PPE and arrive in Perth on Friday. The health minister, Mark Butler, announced that six passengers tested negative for hantavirus.

Andrea Woodley, a homeless First Nations woman, is at risk of death due to septicemia and has been waiting for public housing in WA since 2023. She has been in and out of hospital for weeks and her family fears she will die without a safe home. Andrea still has a two-year wait for public housing despite her critical condition.

Fourteen homeless people die on average each year in public parks or countryside areas in Australia. Recent deaths include a young international student, a young homeless mother, and a newborn baby. The advocacy group is calling for more investment in the upcoming budget to address homelessness.

Samuel Whitsed, a 27-year-old man, has been missing since February, prompting police to search bushland on a popular hiking track in Western Australia. The police are actively searching for him. The disappearance is considered mysterious.