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Treasurer Rita Saffioti speaking at the state budget lockup at Dumas House on Thursday afternoon.

Diabolical HighwayPremiumGS farmers frustrated with half of promised highway funds

Great Southern farmers are frustrated the full $50 million promised prior to the State Election to upgrade nearly 12kms of the “death sentence”  that is South Coast Highway was not released at the State Budget.

Georgia Campion

The Liberal Party's Sussan Ley and Michaelia Cash with Curtin candidate Tom White in Scarborough today.

Federal PoliticsCommentsWA Liberals reluctant on idea of gender quotas

The WA Liberal Party is resisting implementing quotas for recruiting more women, as insiders insist the approach it took over the past three years worked at recent elections.

Katina Curtis

CY O’Connor’s 122-year-old water pipeline. Inset top right: WA Treasurer Rita Saffioti. Inset bottom right: Albany Port

WA BUDGET 2025PremiumWA Budget 2025: What’s in it for regional WA?

Poles, pipes and ports were the main talking points of this year’s State Budget, with WA Treasurer Rita Saffioti unveiling a $10.3b pipeline of regional infrastructure investment. 

Cally Dupe

Roe MLA Peter Rundle blasted the State Budget as creating a “country versus city” divide.

STATE BUDGET 2025-26PremiumState Budget 2025 full of ‘wrong priorities’, Roe MLA says

The Member for Roe has slammed WA Treasurer Rita Saffioti’s State Budget, tabled on Thursday, as “city-focused” and a document full of “wrong priorities”.

Melissa Sheil

Premier Roger Cook and Treasurer Rita Saffioti holding the WA State Budget papers at the state budget lockup at Dumas House on Thursday afternoon.

opinion
opinion
Dylan CapornCommentsPremium
opinion
Proof east coast GST leeches have nothing to cry about

WA’s State Budget has become home to somewhat of an annual tradition — the GST stoush. 

Dylan Caporn

Dylan Caporn

Alannah Bickey and 13-year-old son Matthew pictured outside the Bassendean Caledonian Soccer Club at Jubilee Oval, in Eden Hill.

The West Australian exclusive
The West Australian exclusive
state politicsCommentsPremium
The West Australian exclusive
Hidden Budget sting: WA government scales back on kids sport

The Cook Government has quietly reduced KidSport vouchers that help struggling families from $500 to $300, it can be revealed, as cost of living support is reined in. 

Jessica Page

Premier Roger Cook at a press conference in Willetton on Monday.

state politicsCommentsHow America’s Iran strikes could hit WA drivers

Roger Cook has warned WA drivers to brace for higher petrol prices, in the wake of the latest escalation of conflict in the Middle East.

Jessica Page and Oliver Lane

Leader of the Opposition Basil Zempilas said the two Opposition Alliance parties were “nowhere near” walking away from each other.

WA NewsCommentsPremiumOpposition Alliance working well so far: Zempilas

Basil Zempilas has denied the Opposition Alliance is close to splitting up despite comments by his Nationals counterpart Shane Love that the junior partner would break the agreement if it was not formalised. 

Oliver Lane

National Party leader Shane Love wants the Nats and Liberals to form a Coalition agreement by the end of this year.

The West Australian exclusive
The West Australian exclusive
State politics CommentsPremium
The West Australian exclusive
Nats leader Shane Love threatens Alliance walkout

WA National Party leader Shane Love is threatening to pull out of an Alliance with the Liberals unless their colleagues agree to form a Coalition before the end of this year.

Joe Spagnolo

The defunding of the free pool entry scheme from the State Budget has sparked debate.

HealthCommentsPremiumVacSwim free pool entry fee cut sparks drowning debate

Royal Life Saving WA’s chief executive says the State Government needs to do ‘more instead of less’ when it comes to investment in drowning prevention after a VacSwim initiative was cut from the State Budget.

Caleb Runciman

Deputy Premier Rita Saffioti at a press conference at Magellan Power.

state politicsCommentsPremiumBattery power sell as WA braces for electricity price hike

Rita Saffioti has flatly rejected Opposition claims she ‘cooked’ the Budget books, to hide the full impact of the decision to axe WA’s power bill credits and increase prices.

Jessica Page

Nationals MLC Rob Horstman is taking part in the Push-Up Challenge for mental health.

Push-Up ChallengePremiumRob Horstman hitting the deck for Push-Up Challenge

The Push-Up Challenge will raise funds for youth mental health service Headspace.

Stuart Quinn

Treasurer Rita Saffioti speaking at the State Budget lockup at Dumas House on Thursday afternoon.

WA BudgetPremiumWA Budget 2025: Regions to benefit from $141m in 2025-26

WA’s agriculture sector is set to benefit from the 2025-26 State Budget with a port expansion, new aerial strike teams, biosecurity, and boosting regional road safety on the governments agenda.

Georgia Campion

Labor ministerJohn Carey MLA at the Geraldton health campus works site. Speaking with project manager Tom McBeath

Project progressPremiumTender awarded for Mullewa Community Hospital redevelopment

Progress is finally being made on the long-awaited upgrade to Mullewa Community Hospital, with the tender awarded and the project expected to kick off later this year.

Kate Campbell

Gabriele Visentin sees good signs for a security deal between Australia and the EU. (Lukas Coch/AAP PHOTOS)

Politics'Glass half-full' for EU security deal with Australia

EU ambassador Gabriele Visentin has high hopes for a strong security partnership between the bloc and Australia, amid talks for a potential trade deal.

Andrew Brown and Tess Ikonomou

Federal Agriculture Minister Julie Collins.

Cabinet VisitWA Farming groups snubbed during Federal Ag Minister’s visit

Federal Agriculture Minister Julie Collins has been slammed for failing to meet with farming groups during a cabinet visit to WA this week. 

Georgia Campion

The new Upper House members for the WA Parliament have been sworn in.

regulation pausePremiumWA farmers call for a pause on current firearm regulations

WA farmers are calling for a pause on the State Government’s current firearm regulations in the wake of the announcement of a three month parliamentary inquiry into the “draconian” law.

Melissa Pedelty & Dylan Caporn

Not Supplied

POLITICSKey sticking point in major trade deal

Both Australia and the EU say they are on the brink of a major trade deal, but one key issue is holding it up.

Joseph Olbrycht-Palmer

The advantages of an Australia-EU free trade deal would include increased investment. (Lukas Coch/AAP PHOTOS)

international (foreign) tradeAustralia-EU 'determined' to seal trade deal: minister

Trade minister Don Farrell says Australia and the European Union are working through issues to try and finalise a free trade deal.

Staff Writers

CANBERRA, AUSTRALIA - NewsWire Photos - June 4, 2025: Federal Treasurer Jim Chalmers holds a press conference at Parliament House in Canbera.NewsWire / Martin Ollman

Federal politicsCommentsChalmers pushes on with super tax but opens door for Greens

Jim Chalmers plans to push ahead with his proposed increased tax on superannuation in the form already rejected by Parliament but concedes the reality of the Senate means the Government may need to compromise.

Katina Curtis

Not Supplied

News‘Fight to death’: Super tax row goes nuclear

Labor’s super tax has proven to be a point of contention between a Nationals senator and the Greens leader, with the pair blowing up on TV.

Hannah Wilcox

Not Supplied

NewsChalmers rules out key demand on super tax

The Treasurer said Labor will not bow down to a Coalition demand, stating Labor’s plan to double taxes on super accounts over $3m will “proceed” as is.

Hannah Wilcox and Jessica Wang

Central Wheatbelt MLA Lachlan Hunter has used his maiden speech in WA Parliament to express his frustration over the Albanese government “tearing” the sheep industry apart.

Parliament SpeechCentral Wheatbelt MLA Lachlan Hunter delivers maiden speech

Newly-minted Central Wheatbelt MLA Lachlan Hunter has used his parliamentary maiden speech to express his frustration over the Albanese government’s ban on live sheep exports.

Georgia Campion

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news‘We need’: Albo’s call on controversial target

While touring farming communities hit by some of the driest conditions on record, the PM called for an end to a “pretty pointless” political debate.

Jessica Wang