As it happened: WA news Thursday, July 17

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

As we leave you tonight, an update from police on the incident that closed Tonkin Highway for most of today.

The highway closed when a man’s body was found near the Noranda intersections just after 2am.

Police believe he was injured in a suspected hit-and-run and died.

It reopened at 4pm.

A woman is helping police with their inquiries.

Meanwhile, WA is leading the nation’s “baby recession” recovery and unemployment is continuing to creep up.

Here’s what also made headlines today:

• A man has been charged following a high-speed police chase through Clarkson and Perth’s northern suburbs.

• A construction company currently being liquidated has been hit with a $750,000 fine after a worker was seriously injured on one of its sites in 2021.

• Rockingham police are searching for two men who allegedly stole an American staffy from the front yard of a Shoalwater home last month.

• Median house prices across Perth will likely grow by an average of 10 per cent between January and December, new data has revealed.

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

A man has been arrested and charged after fleeing from police in a high-speed chase through Perth’s northern suburbs.

Police tried to stop the car just after 10pm last night on Polglase Way in Clarkson when he allegedly sped away.

The police chopper tracked the car through several northern suburbs, with officers alleging it reached more than 220 kilometres an hour on the Mitchell Freeway in Currambine.

The car was abandoned on Cape Street in Osborne Park where the driver and his two passengers allegedly fled on foot.

Police tracked them to a nearby backyard, and took them into custody.

An Albany man has been charged with stealing a car and driving recklessly, failing to stop, driving to escape police, and stealing.

He appeared in court this morning and was remanded in custody.

He is due back before Bunbury Magistrates Court on July 31.

Tonkin Highway has reopened following a police investigation into a potential hit-and-run in Noranda overnight.

WA Police at the scene of where a man’s body was found on Tonkin Highway in Noranda on Thursday morning. Credit: 9News Perth

Tonkin Highway was shut in the early hours of this morning when a man in his 40s was found on north of Benara Road with serious injuries just after 2am.

Police and St John WA attended, but the man was declared dead at the scene.

“It is believed the deceased man was struck by a vehicle that left the scene,” A WA police spokeswoman said.

“A woman is currently assisting police with their inquiries.”

The highway reopened at 4pm, but congestion is ongoing.

In other traffic news this afternoon, a crash on the Kwinana Freeway southbound is causing major congestion.

The crash happened just before Mill Point Road, and the left lane is blocked.

Main Roads WA has advised drivers to avoid the area.

Rockingham police are searching for two men who allegedly stole an American staffy from the front yard of a Shoalwater home last month.

Police have been searching for the dog – named “Poppy” – after she was allegedly taken from the Gloucester Street home just after midday on Monday, June 30.

WA Police have released this CCTV vision as they search for Poppy (inset), the American staffy which was allegedly stolen from a home in Shoalwater last month.Credit: WA Police

Now, police have released CCTV in their search for the dog, which is black and white with a maple leaf-style marking on its belly/chest.

In the vision, a silver Toyota hatchback can be seen pulling up in front of the house before two men get out and make their way to the front yard, before allegedly bundling the dog into the back seat.

One of the men then climbs into the back of the car before it does a U-turn and drives off up the street.

Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000, or make a report online.

Tonkin Highway’s northbound lanes between Morley Drive and Reid Hwy in Noranda remain closed this afternoon as police investigate the death of a man whose body was found on the road on Thursday morning.

WA Police at the scene of where a man’s body was found on Tonkin Highway in Noranda on Thursday. Credit: 9News Perth

Major crash investigators remained at the scene on the stretch of highway north of Benara Road well into the afternoon. Main Roads WA urged motorists to seek alternate routes.

However, details remain scant on exactly what happened before the man’s body was found about 2.25am.

Police and St John Ambulance were called out, but the man was declared dead at the scene.

Struggling to get a ticket to the upcoming AC Milan v Perth Glory clash at HBF stadium? You might want to contact your local MP.

WAtoday has spotted several MPs from both sides of the political aisle posting free ticket giveaways for the July 31 clash on their social media accounts over the past fortnight.

West Australian MPs have been giving tickets away on their social media accounts.Credit: Instagram

A spokeswoman for Tourism Minister Rita Saffioti denied the giveaways were due to low ticket sales and said, in the case of AC Milan match, it was on track to sell out.

“It’s not unusual for the state government to offer tickets for MPs to give to people in their communities, as was the case recently with the Terracotta Warriors exhibition at WA Museum Boola Bardip,” she said.

“We know there’s been significant growth in Western Australians playing and following the world game in recent years and giving tickets away is just another way to promote this blockbuster event.

“The club has a strong Australian and Asian fan base, thousands of whom are expected to travel to Perth for the chance to see the team play in-person.”

The spokeswoman said all lower house MPs were offered two tickets to give away to their constituents who may not have been able to get to the game, which was the same process for the Terracotta Warriors exhibition.

A West Australian construction company currently being liquidated has been hit with a $750,000 fine after a worker was seriously injured on one of its sites in 2021.

CASM Construction Pty Ltd was wound up and liquidators were appointed at the end of September 2024.

However, the company was still facing legal woes, which came to a head in Northam Magistrates Court on Monday.

CASM Construction was sentenced over an incident in December 2021, when a worker on a CASM site in Wootatting fell 2.2 metres into an unfinished swimming pool in an under-construction alfresco area.

The court was told scaffolding protecting the pool had been removed to allow access for more work, which created a fall risk for workers on the site.

The company pleaded guilty to failing to ensure workers were not exposed to hazards, while one of its directors pleaded to neglect as a director. He was fined $45,000 and received a spent conviction.

Another company which engaged CASM to supervise and manage the building works has also been prosecuted and will next appear in court on September 22.

WorkSafe Commissioner Sally North said the incident should serve as a reminder of the importance of guarding against fall risks.

“A fall from height was identified as a moderate risk in CASM’s Site Specific Safety Management Plan, with special consideration required for swimming pools, however the pool was left uncovered for a substantial period of time which created the risk that led to this serious incident,” she said.

All signs point to Brisbane but West Coast coach Andrew McQualter hasn’t given up hope of retaining co-captain Oscar Allen.

Allen, who will miss the rest of the season with an Achilles and knee injury, is a restricted free agent with Brisbane and Hawthorn his two biggest suitors.

The 26-year-old is enduring arguably the toughest season of his career on and off the field.

In April, Allen issued an apology to Eagles fans after his private meeting with Hawthorn coach Sam Mitchell became public knowledge.

Oscar Allen’s season may be over, but rival clubs are still on the hunt for the free agent Eagle.Credit: AFL Photos via Getty Images

Allen took a few days off to look after his mental health a short time after that and his struggles in attack led to him being shifted to defence for a few games.

To top it all, Allen injured his Achilles in round 14 just as he started regaining some form with the setback - and subsequent surgery on his troublesome knee - ruling him out for the rest of the season.

Rumours are rife Allen will head to Brisbane at the end of the year in a move that would mirror the way former Bomber Joe Daniher was able to revive his injury-plagued career.

If Allen does leave West Coast are almost certain to receive band one compensation.

With last-placed West Coast (1-16) a whopping three games adrift of their nearest rivals Richmond, the Eagles are on track to receive pick No.2 as the band-one compensation for losing Allen, to go with pick No.1 for finishing last.

McQualter says “at this stage” he expects Allen to stay, but knows the AFL landscape means players have more freedom to switch clubs.

“We understand it’s a story, but he’s really invested ... and looking to help us as much as he can,” McQualter said on Thursday.

“I completely understand the landscape of this AFL industry now.

“Oscar is a free agent, that’s how it works, so I understand there’s always going to be commentary around it.

“We’re really open in our conversations with Oscar.”

West Coast will start as slight favourites when they host fellow strugglers Richmond (4-13) at Optus Stadium on Saturday night.

All eyes that night will be on Eagles young gun Harley Reid, who has been fined 13 times so far in his 37-game career.

Reid has given away a whopping 52 free kicks across his 17 games this season, including six in last week’s 26-point loss to Port Adelaide.

AAP

Western Australia is leading the nation’s “baby recession” recovery, recording the highest growth in birth rates between 2023 and 2024 out of any capital city.

WA has recorded the highest growth in birth rates between 2023 and 2024 out of any Australian capital.Credit: Getty Images

Nearly 27,000 babies were born in Perth 2024 – a 5.7 per cent increase on the number born in 2023 – according to new data from KPMG.

Across the rest of WA it was a similar story, with the regions recording an 8 per cent increase.

Perth’s fertility rate also rebounded to 1.63 in 2024 – up from 1.58 in 2023 – again breaking the trend of continued decline in other cities.

Perth was also the only capital city to record growth when compared to the number of babies born in 2019 – all other capitals still recorded a decline.

Read the full story here.

Western Australia’s unemployment rate has followed the national trend, lifting 0.2 percentage points to sit at 4.1 per cent.

New Australian Bureau of Statistics figures for June show the national unemployment rate lifted to 4.3 per cent, the highest rate since November 2021 at the tail end of the COVID pandemic, with an increase of 34,000 people out of work.

There were 1,655,600 employed people in WA in June, according to the ABS figures, with a participation rate of 69 per cent.

Across the nation, a 38,000 fall in full-time employment was, at least partially, offset by a 40,000 lift in part-time work.