As it happened: WA news on Wednesday, May 28

We’re bringing our blog to a close for the day now, thank you for joining us.

Well, it was a big day of news for the Burrup Peninsula. First came word of the deferral of a World Heritage bid for rock art on the peninsula, then, barely an hour later, was the news Woodside’s plans to extend the life of its North West Shelf project had been given the green light from the federal environment minister.

So, what does this all mean for this spit of land jutting out from Dampier, in our state’s resources-rich Pilbara region?

The approval ends years of uncertainty over the North West Shelf’s future, and marks one of the biggest political moves so far by the re-elected Albanese government.

Meanwhile, footballers, family and friends gathered at West Coast Eagles’ Lathlain headquarters today to remember Adam Selwood, who died suddenly earlier in May, just months after the death of his brother Troy.

Their deaths prompted an outpouring of grief in the AFL, especially because of their family’s deep connections throughout the league. The twins both had roles at AFL clubs after their playing days ended, while their younger brothers Joel and Scott also played at the highest level.

Thank you for joining us today, we’ll see you back here tomorrow for more news you need to know.

Hundreds of mourners have gathered at West Coast’s headquarters in Lathlain this afternoon to farewell former player, Adam Selwood in a private service.

Among the guests were some of Selwood’s premiership teammates including David Wirrpanda, Chris Judd, Ben Cousins, Daniel Kerr and Chad Fletcher.

Woodside has just released a statement welcoming the Federal government’s decision to approve its North West Shelf extension.

Here’s some of what the oil and gas giant had to say:

Woodside has received the proposed Federal conditions which relate to matters including cultural heritage management and air quality.

We recognise the significance of these matters and are reviewing the proposed conditions to understand their application.

We remain committed to protecting the Murujuga Cultural Landscape and support its World Heritage nomination.

We believe long-term co-existence between cultural heritage and industry is possible when guided by credible science, Traditional Custodian leadership, and genuine collaboration.

As part of the State Government approval in December 2024, the North West Shelf committed to a range of environmental management measures, including a significant reduction in air emissions and measures to manage greenhouse gas emissions and to reduce them over time.

In addition, meaningful consultation with Traditional Owners is occurring as part of these conditions, including complying with all air quality objectives and standards arising from the Murujuga Rock Art Monitoring Program.

There are lots of reactions coming through following the Federal government’s decision to green-light Woodside’s North West Shelf proposal.

Traditional owner Raelene Cooper.Credit: Save Our Songlines

Mardathoonera woman and Save our Songlines spokeswoman Raelene Cooper, who has launched a legal challenge to force Watt to reconsider the impact of industry on the Murujuga rock art, released the following statement:

“See you in court.

I’m not on my own, I’m bringing warriors from this ngurra [my place of belonging] with me.”

Environmental groups have lashed federal Environment Minister Murray Watt and the Commonwealth government for approving the North West Shelf project.

Members of the WA Greens, Australian Conservation Foundation and Conservation Council of WA found out about the approval as they were preparing for a press conference on the UNESCO world heritage Murujuga rock art deferral we reported this morning.

Australian Conservation Foundation’s climate campaigner Piper Rollins.Credit: Hamish Hastie

Australian Conservation Foundation climate campaigner Piper Rollins said Watt’s decision beat a controversial pledge from Peter Dutton during the election campaign to make a decision within 30 days.

“This is a shocking and bitter disappointment, and frankly, an unscientific one. Minister Watt is going to have to look the people of Taree [in NSW], who are underwater right now, in the eyes and explain why a carbon bomb, one of the largest fossil fuel approvals in the southern hemisphere, is acceptable in 2025,” she said.

Rollins said the fight was not over, with the government still considering Woodside’s Browse gas field development proposal.

“The Albanese government may have made the horrific and anti scientific decision to approve the North West Shelf extension, but they have not made a decision on Browse and if not a drop of that gas is ever drilled, then the climate and nature and cultural impacts at the North West Shelf may not be felt,” she said.

“So it’s unfathomable, but it’s not at all over.”

WA Greens climate spokeswoman Sophie McNeill said the decision showed Labor “worked for Woodside”.

“It doesn’t work for our community. It’s not there for our kids, it’s not there for protecting reef, to protect our forests. They’re just working for Woodside, and they’ve made that absolutely clear,” she said.

“We hoped Federal Labor had more of a spine. We hoped that federal Labor would have listened to the science, and we hope that federal Labor would protect us, but they’ve proven that they’re no different to Labor here in Western Australia, it’s a shameful, shameful day for the Labor Party.”

Back to WA parliament, where a crowd of more than 100 has just finished up a rally protesting the Cook government’s Burswood racetrack plans.

The Save Burswood Park Coalition rally coincided with the tabling of a 3000-signature petition opposing the $217 million Labor commitment and a Greens and Liberal move to establish an upper house committee to probe the project.

The Save Burswood Park rally.Credit: Hamish Hastie

Opposition Leader Basil Zempilas and Greens leader Brad Pettitt addressed the rally, lashing the government for pushing ahead with the project despite strong opposition from the government.

Zempilas led chants of the crowd asking them whether they wanted the racetrack, to which the crowd responded in unison: “No.”

“As you can hear and as you can see, these people don’t want to racetrack in Burswood Park, and they don’t want $220 million spent on a project that has no support,” he said.

Pettitt said the project was bad planning.

“This, in many ways, is the project where we’ve seen planning in this state again and again, been undermined,” he said.

Save Burswood Coalition convener Robin Harvey said Burswood residents had done the right thing by moving into high-density.

“The people that moved into this area, they moved there doing what Labor wants. They moved into smaller lots, to apartments to increase high density and to release their large homes for families in the suburbs,” she said.

Greens leader Brad Pettitt addressing the Save Burswood Park rally.Credit: Hamish Hastie

“And what did we get in return? We’re getting a motorplex. It’s not OK.”

Sport Minister Rita Saffioti was invited to speak at the rally but declined because of the Women’s and Babies’ hospital contract annoucnement this morning.

The government offered to send cabinet secretary Daniel Pastorelli, who is leading the consultation for the government, in her place, but the group declined.

Speaking at the press conference in Murdoch this morning Saffioti defended the government’s plans.

“This is a commitment we gave to the people of Western Australia. We took it to the election. We announced it I think in the first few weeks of an election campaign. It was widely publicised,” she said.

To breaking news now, and Woodside has just been granted federal approval to extend the life of its North West Shelf assets in the Pilbara until 2070.

The controversial project was granted approval by federal Environment Minister Murray Watt, subject to conditions around emissions which have not yet been made public.

Woodside has 10 days to respond to Watt’s decision.

More to come.

There are more than 6000 arrest warrants outstanding in WA, with almost 4000 unresolved for more than five years and 1000 unresolved for more than 15 years.

Shadow police minister Adam Hort said the figures raised serious concerns about enforcement, resourcing and the safety of West Australians.

Police Commissioner Col Blanch.Credit: Jesinta Burton

“These aren’t parking tickets, they’re arrest warrants,” he said.

“To be issued an arrest warrant is no simple matter. We’re not dealing with a simple offence, such as stealing a chocolate bar or being overdue for a library book.

“Police deem the offences serious enough to track the alleged offender down, take them into custody, and bring them before the courts.

“Yet many of these alleged offenders are still walking the streets and that makes our communities less safe.”

WA Police Commissioner Col Blanch said most of the outstanding warrants were people who failed to attend court for often minor offences, and then left the state.

“We would say we want zero warrants that are outstanding, and the police are very focused on making sure we arrest people when a warrant is issued,” he told Radio ABC this morning.

He said the outstanding figure represented about three per cent of all warrants issued.

An eight-year-old boy has died after being hit by a vehicle in Perth’s outer suburbs.

WA Police say the incident occurred in bushland near Baldock Road in Mount Helena around 4pm.

The boy fell from and was then struck by a vehicle.

He was taken to a nearby residential address and met by emergency services who rushed him to a local hospital.

He was then transferred to Perth Children’s Hospital where he later died.

The principal of Wesley College says it will be business as usual despite firefighters attending the South Perth school this morning to extinguish a fire.

The blaze was reported around 5am this morning, with smoke coming from the third floor of a four-storey building opposite the middle school.

The fire at Wesley College.Credit: Radio 6PR

The cause of the fire is believed to be an electrical fault in a light fitting.

The principal told Radio 6PR he was at the scene, and that firefighters had been quick to contain the incident.

He said school would run as normal today, with senior students sitting exams.

He also said the fire was unrelated to another blaze at the school in recent weeks.