NewsBite

WA Parliament

This Month

LNG facilities off Western Australia’s northwest.

Gas is good, like it or not: WA Labor leader

Premier Roger Cook wants the business community to take a “Team WA” approach to cheerleading for the state’s gas industry.

WA’s green energy ambitions could be slowed by overzealous federal laws, the state’s energy minister says.

Overzealous environment laws could risk new green energy: WA

Western Australia’s energy minister says the Albanese government’s overhaul of environmental protection laws must not slow green energy projects.

WA Greens leader Brad Pettitt.

‘High rises aren’t the enemy’: Greens leader challenging NIMBYs

WA Greens leader Brad Pettitt wants red tape cut for responsible developers, and has a message for his east coast colleagues.

Farmers support the WA government’s attempts to resume control over the state’s freight rail network.

Brookfield scoops up $132m from WA rail networks

The Canadian infrastructure group is reaping healthy dividends from its West Australian freight rail business. But the state government wants to buy it back.

June

WA budget winners and losers

Industry, workers and home buyers are among those set to benefit most from the Western Australian budget 2025.

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WA Treasurer Rita Saffioti.

Labor vows to buttress ‘Fortress WA’ with another budget surplus

Western Australia is on track for more than a decade of surpluses, with GST payments and iron ore royalties delivering the state a $2.5 billion surplus for 2024-25.

WA Treasurer Rita Saffioti speaks to the AFR ahead of the state budget.

WA treasurer to shake up big-spending agenda

Poles, wires and pipes “aren’t necessarily sexy”, says Rita Saffioti, but Thursday’s budget will pour billions into economic infrastructure to support industry.

Iron ore remains BHP’s biggest earner

WA backs GST reform that would hand it an even bigger share

NSW Treasurer Daniel Mookhey has found an unlikely ally in his fight to overhaul the GST model and distribute it to the states on a per capita basis.

May

WA Premier Roger Cook speaks to the AFR ahead of the masthead’s Mining Summit in Perth.

The radioactive rock piquing the WA premier’s interest

Roger Cook believes the country needs to be more flexible in its approach to energy generation, and has flagged one metal as a potential solution.

January

Inflation is not expected to hit the middle of the RBA’s target band until mid-2026, and some economists say that’s partly because of federal and state spending.

Federal and state spending part of inflation problem: economists

West Australian Premier Roger Cook publicly called out the RBA governor this week on sustained interest rate pain, but some economists say he’s part of the problem.

December 2024

The Neosmelt project will be constructed on the site of BHP’s old nickel refinery in Kwinana.

Mining rivals join forces on green iron project

BHP, Rio Tinto and BlueScope have all agreed to develop Australia’s largest iron-making electric smelting furnace, the NeoSmelt pilot facility, in Western Australia.

The WA govenrment has approved the extension of the North West Shelf plant near Karratha.

WA government green lights Woodside’s North West Shelf extension

The West Australian government has given Woodside the green light to extend the life of its North West Shelf gas processing facility.

A transmission “bottleneck” is emerging in WA’s southwest.

The human factor holding up wind power project

A bottleneck is emerging in Western Australia’s transmission infrastructure pipeline, an industry source has warned.

Shane Love and Libby Mettam.

Calls for review of WA airfare subsidies after blowout revelations

A multi-million dollar blowout to a state government scheme subsidising regional travel has prompted opposition calls for a government review of the program.

Govt has helped pay for more than 100k flights to one FIFO town in WA

A West Australian government scheme designed to subsidise regional flights to Perth for country residents has ballooned to quadruple its original cost.

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November 2024

Perth Lord Mayor Basil Zempilas, WA Liberal leader Libby Mettam.

Zempilas’ campaign manager quits after stoking WA Liberal crisis

Cam Sinclair has stepped down after he was revealed to have commissioned polling that triggered a furore for Liberal leader Libby Mettam.

The Pilbara Minerals lithium mine in Western Australia.

WA unveils $150m lithium rescue package

The West Australian government has unveiled a $150 million rescue package for the state’s struggling lithium sector.

Perth Lord Mayor Basil Zempilas, WA Liberal leader Libby Mettam.

Zempilas’ ex-campaign manager linked to Liberal crisis poll

A marketing firm run by Perth Lord Mayor Basil Zempilas’ former campaign manager commissioned polling on behalf of an unknown local business person that has triggered a Liberal leadership crisis in Western Australia.

Perth Lord Mayor and Liberal candidate for Churchlands, Basil Zempilas.

The man who would be the new king of WA

Basil Zempilas is now the most high-profile name in WA politics, and he hasn’t even been elected to parliament.

Several states want more migrant tradespeople to help address the housing crisis.

Perth’s plan to raid east coast for tradies with lure of $10,000 cash

The West Australian government is considering offering a one-off payment to tradespeople to move from interstate to build more homes.

Original URL: https://www.afr.com/topic/wa-parliament-1n00