As it happened: WA news Wednesday, July 23

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

As we leave you tonight, police are continuing to hunt for a man they believe could have information about a shooting in Clarkson last night.

A house was shot at just after 10pm, and police say they’re hunting for Jason James Cockie over the incident.

Anyone who sees Mr Cockie is urged to avoid him as he may be armed, and call police as soon as possible.

Meanwhile, three Commissioners have been appointed to lead the City of Nedlands following a “prolonged period of dysfunction” and a local council has voted to rip up six tiny trees along the South Perth foreshore after residents said they would block their million-dollar views.

Here’s what also made headlines today:

• The Australian Federal Police claim to have uncovered a multi-million dollar money laundering scheme after a woman was stopped at Perth Airport trying to leave the state with $190,000 cash in her luggage.

• Former Australian women’s indoor hockey coach Lauren Austin has pleaded guilty in a Perth court to the indecent assault of a child under her care, while two other more serious charges she was facing have been discontinued.

• The state government has announced new contracts totalling $342 million to unlock renewable energy in WA.

• Big Bell Gold Operations has been fined $945,000 after a truck fatally struck a worker at an underground gold mine near Cue.

Thank you again for tuning in today. We’ll see you back here tomorrow for more news you need to know.

A Mid West gold miner has been fined $945,000 after a truck fatally struck a worker at an underground gold mine near Cue.

Big Bell Gold Operations, a subsidiary of Westgold Resources Limited, pleaded guilty in Perth Magistrates Court on Wednesday to failing to provide and maintain a working environment in which an employee of a contractor was not exposed to hazards.

The incident took place in December 2020, when a contractor, Minterra Pty Ltd, was performing mining operations at the Big Bell underground gold mine.

During a night shift, a truck operated by a Minterra employee struck another worker, who died from their injuries.

On top of the fine, Big Bell will also have to pay $20,000 in costs.

Jason Cockie. Credit: WA Police

WA Police are asking for the public’s help to locate Jason Cockie, who is possibly carrying a gun.

Joondalup detectives say the 53-year-old may be able to assist them with a current investigation.

Cockie is described as 175 centimetres tall, of solid build with greying brown hair.

Members of the public are advised not to approach him, and to instead call 000 immediately.

The state government has just announced new contracts totalling $342 million to unlock renewable energy in WA.

The contracts were awarded to UGL Engineering, Acciona, and GenusPlus for the Clean Energy Link North program.

Energy minister Amber-Jade Sanderson. Credit: Peter de Kruijff

It is the largest investment in electricity transmission infrastructure in more than a decade, and is part of a $548 million state budget commitment for Western Power to undertake network upgrades and expansion through the program.

Energy minister Amber-Jade Sanderson said it was an important milestone in WA’s clean energy transition and phased coal exit by 2030.

“It will mean industry can reliably and safely connect their wind, solar and battery projects to the transmission network, increasing the amount of renewables on our system, with the aim of doubling them by 2030,” she said.

But shadow energy minister Steve Thomas said the government was “years behind where it needed to be” if there was to be any chance of completing the energy transition by the target date.

“This announcement is premature, as it commits hundreds of millions of taxpayers’ dollars before the plan defining how the transition will work has even been finalised and released,” he said.

“By dithering for so long they have put their own transition at risk of substantial delays.”

Thomas also claimed the proposed transition was in jeopardy without additional gas generation capacity to “hold the grid together”.

Three Commissioners have been appointed to lead the City of Nedlands following a “prolonged period of dysfunction” and the mass resignation of half its councillors earlier this month.

The resignations of five councillors collapsed the council, with the remaining four positions to be formally vacated on Friday.

The three commissioners appointed to the City of Nedlands; David Caddy, Bianca Sandri and Cath Hart.

The three new commissioners, announced this morning, are:

• David Caddy (Chair): Former chair of the WA Planning Commission and former City of Nedlands Deputy Mayor (1989 - 1995).
• Bianca Sandri (Deputy Chair): Former City of Bayswater director and current WA Planning Commission board member.
• Cath Hart: Former Real Estate Institute of WA chief executive.

Local government minister Hannah Beazley said the commissioners will serve until a new council is elected in March next year.

“The ratepayers and residents of the City of Nedlands deserve a professional, effective and productive council,” she said.

“With extensive management and leadership experience across both the private and public sectors, I am confident the three Commissioners appointed will deliver the good governance and stability needed at the City of Nedlands.

“City of Nedlands locals should seriously consider nominating for a position on council and what they can contribute to their community after what has been a prolonged period of dysfunction, and I strongly urge residents to vote at the March election.”

The Australian Bureau of Statistics has just released its annual marriage and divorce statistics, revealing the most popular time West Aussies choose to tie the knot.

There were 13,222 weddings registered in WA in 2024, with November being the most common month for a wedding (1,661), followed by March (1,575) and October (1,441).

The average age for a bride was 31.2 and for a groom was 32.8.

For every 2.5 weddings registered across Australia, there was one divorce also lodged, with the average time from marriage to separation being nine years (with the divorce official after 13 years).

The average age for a couple at divorce was 44 for women and 47 for men.

WA’s top cop has asked the public for help to determine the extent of a crime spree allegedly undertaken by a trio of juveniles on motorcycles across several Perth suburbs over the past week.

Yesterday, WA Police Commissioner Col Blanch said a 14-year-old boy was arrested following several calls about a trio “causing havoc” robbing people and stealing other motorcycles and scooters in the Hillarys and Carine area.

Vision of the trio driving over a community sporting ground. Credit: WA Police

The teen appeared in Perth Children’s Court yesterday and was granted bail, but was then immediately arrested again for breaching his bail conditions. He will appear back in court today.

Blanch said the other two teens remain on the run, but police are aware of who they are.

“We certainly see young offenders riding eBikes, eScooters or small motorcycles ... most of the time they are juveniles that we know that are frequent fliers in terms of policing engagement,” he told ABC Radio Perth this morning.

Blanch said police were appealing to the community for information the trio were also potentially committing further crimes in West Leederville, North Perth, Subiaco and Mount Hawthorn between Wednesday and Sunday.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Crime Stoppers.

A Perth IGA owner has been forced to fork out thousands of dollars from his own pocket to get generators in for a planning power outage.

IGA Maddington owner Ben Heptinstall said he was left scrambling to find a solution to the Western Power planned outage last week, and has just received an email saying another is scheduled to take place next week.

IGA Maddington owner Ben Hepinstall. Credit: 9 News Perth

“It’s not just a case of shutting the doors and not opening for the day … we’d lose all our refrigerated stock and that cost would have been over $100,000,” he told 9 News Perth.

“So the cheapest option for us was to get three generators in at a cost of just over $18,000.

“There’s another outage next week, so not only did I lose power for a day last week at a cost of $18,000, they’re now planning another one next week, so again I’m going to be out of pocket another $18,000 with no help.

“I think the state government needs to hold Western Power accountable, they look after big businesses when these sorts of things happen with support, they should look after the small retailers like us and offer some sort of assistance.”

Responding to Heptinstall’s plight, Energy Minister Amber-Jade Sanderson said the state offered financial assistance to businesses and households impacted by outages,.

“Planned outages are a really important part of maintaining the system,” she said.

“Unfortunately, they’re incredibly inconvenient and can create disruption, and we apologise for that, but ultimately, we have to maintain the reliability of the system.”

Western Power’s website said it does not provide compensation for planned power outages.

This morning appears to be the calm before the storm, with a strong wind warning issued for parts of the state today.

A heavy rain spell and possible thunderstorms are expected to hit WA later this afternoon with up to 35 millimetres expected.

The Canning Highway flooding earlier this morning, with 16.4 millimetres of rain already recorded to 8am.

Wet weather on the Canning Highway this morning.Credit: 9 News Perth

The Bureau of Meteorology has issued a wind warning for people living on the coasts of Perth, Geraldton, Lancelin, Bunbury, Geographe, Leeuwin, Albany and Esperance.

The cash being counted at Perth Airport.Credit: AFP

The Australian Federal Police claim to have uncovered a multi-million dollar money laundering scheme after a woman was stopped at Perth Airport trying to leave the state with $190,000 cash in her luggage.

Australian Border Force officers spotted the bundles of cash during a screening of the 65–year-old’s bag in October 2023.

She allegedly told officials it was her savings, however during an investigation into the origins of the cash, it was identified that the woman’s son and daughter-in-law had purchased six properties in WA in the past six years, worth a total of $4.5 million – none of which were mortgaged. They also owned a $2 million property in Gnangara.

Police allege the couple failed to declare their true earnings and restrained the seven properties and the airport cash due to being suspected proceeds of crime.

AFP Western Command acting Superintendent Chris Colley said people who could not explain their wealth and assets would be held to account.