Good afternoon readers, and thanks for following along this week.
Plan to get all your jobs done tomorrow while it’s fine, because the Bureau is predicting Sunday has a very high chance of showers and possibly a thunderstorm.
Stay safe and dry and we’ll see you on Monday with a fresh live blog.
Richmond beware – West Coast players will have Harley Reid’s back if the Tigers attempt to go after the young Eagles star in Saturday night’s cellar-dweller clash at Optus Stadium.
Reid produced his best display of the season in last week’s 26-point loss to Port Adelaide, tallying a team-high 27 disposals and six clearances to go with a goal.
Harley Reid of the Eagles kicks past Darcy Byrne-Jones of the Power during the round 18 AFL match.Credit: Mark Brake/Getty Images
But the performance didn’t come without controversy, with Reid fined $6250 for a kick-trip on Travis Boak that Essendon legend James Hird said deserved to be a three or four-week suspension.
Reid’s heated battle with Port star Jason Horne-Francis was also a big talking point.
The young Eagle reportedly sledged the Port star with words to the effect of “go back to mummy, you left after one year”, in reference to Horne-Francis lasting just one season at North Melbourne before seeking a trade back to his home state of South Australia.
It came a week after Reid was physically targeted by GWS players during his heated battle with star Giants midfielder Tom Green.
Young Eagles midfielder Clay Hall said he and his teammates would have Reid’s back in Saturday’s clash with Richmond.
“That’s something I’d love to do for someone who is a fellow draftee of mine,” Hall said.
“We’re the same age, and to watch how much he cops it on the field and then off the field as well in terms of media, it’s a little bit unfair at times.
“So we’ll support him as much as we can. He’s one of my best mates around the club.”
Reid has given away a whopping 52 free kicks across 17 games this season, and he has now been fined 13 times so far in his 37-game career, as well as copping a two-week ban for a dangerous tackle last year.
West Coast coach Andrew McQualter is doing his best to encourage Reid to maintain his intense competitiveness while playing within the rules.
AAP
A small update now on the crash along Tonkin Highway on Thursday which resulted in the death of a man in his 40s, whose body was found on the road.
The man was found around 2.25am with significant injuries.
A woman who was taken into custody by police on Thursday afternoon to assist with inquiries has since been released pending further investigation.
Major Crash investigators are urging anyone with any information relating to this incident to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or online at crimestopperswa.com.au.
You likely have seen the news that’s gone viral this morning – the chief executive of a US tech company has been caught in a suspected affair with a colleague after the “kiss cam” at a Coldplay concert broadcast them embracing to a crowd of thousands.
If you have missed that, you can check out the full story here.
Plenty of organisations have jumped on the story, turning the couple into a meme, including WA’s own Department of Fire an Emergency Services.
“Looks like it’s not just the Coldplay concert that’s getting wild,” they wrote on Facebook.
“A strong cold front is heading our way from Sunday, bringing heavy rain, thunderstorms and strong winds, but unlike this unfortunate couple, we saw it coming.”
The Department warned the South West would bear the brunt of the weather, but Perth won’t be spared, so “to avoid any embarrassing moments, make sure you secure loose items, take care on the roads and be sure to watch out for hazards like fallen trees or power lines during and after the storm.”
“Don’t be that guy and let the trampoline (and sparks) fly - stay safe and scandal-free, WA,” the post concludes.
The opposition is calling for a full investigation into the WA Police’s $35 million firearms registration portal after it was revealed a former sports shooting club member was able to access information about his old club’s firearm safes.
But acting Police Minister Don Punch dismissed the concerns as “fearmongering”, describing the incident as a technical issue.
WA Nationals leader, Shane Love.Credit: Hamish Hastie
Legalise Cannabis MP Brian Walker first raised the issue, saying a former member of the Jarrahdale Shooters Club could access firearms and licence data linked to the club’s corporate licence.
WA Police has since temporarily halted access to the portal as it addresses the issue.
Nationals leader Shane Love said the latest incident followed hundreds of other complaints he had received from shooters about the portal.
“This portal has already been exposed as a delayed, over-budget, dysfunctional mess — and now we find out it poses a real risk to the safety and personal information of thousands of Western Australians,” he said.
“The Minister must immediately halt the implementation of the Act and take the website offline.”
Punch said he welcomed the temporary pause on the portal while they investigate the issue and he trusted it would be rectified as soon as possible.
“Claims that there has been a data breach are incorrect – this is simply fearmongering by the opposition,” he said.
“I would like to reassure the community that the advice I’ve received is that individual firearm license holders are not impacted.
“WA is a safer place today thanks to reforms to our firearm legislation.
“These firearm reforms are what’s right for WA and we’re committed to delivering them.”
Turning to crime news and officers from the Regional Operations Group and Hillarys Police have charged a 26-year-old man following an evade police incident that occurred in Perth’s northern suburbs overnight.
About 1.25am, police attempted to stop an Audi hatchback travelling on Seacrest Drive in Hillarys.
The driver allegedly failed to stop and accelerated away from police.
He then allegedly drove recklessly and at speed through several suburbs, including Kingsley, Padbury, and Ocean Reef.
With the assistance of Police Air Wing, the vehicle was tracked to Eddystone Avenue, where the accused was arrested.
The 26-year-old man from Hillarys has been charged with failing to comply with a direction to stop, reckless driving to escape pursuit by police, breaching a family violence restraining order, and threatening to kill in circumstances of aggravation.
He is due to appear in court today.
Earlier this week, we brought you the news that residents in the City of South Perth were fighting for the removal of six tiny trees along the foreshore which they claimed would block their “million-dollar views”.
Foreshore Team Leader Jamie Davies erecting another vandalism sign on Bicton foreshore to call attention to the repeated destruction of trees.Credit: City of Melville
It turns out they’re not the only council dealing with issues surrounding newly planted trees.
The City of Melville has revealed around 40 native trees have not just received complaints, but been vandalised after being planted in the past year, including along Blackwall Reach.
The City is at a loss about the motive, claiming their trees were not going to block any million-dollar views.
They have resorted to erecting signs stating the type of the tree, its individual cost and the cumulative cost to ratepayers of repeatedly replacing the trees.
They are designed to raise public awareness of the ongoing vandalism issue.
Foreshore team leader Jamie Davies said they had put up 25 signs so far, mostly along the foreshores of Applecross, Attadale and Bicton – the hotspots for the offending.
“We’re at a loss as to why young trees keep being vandalised considering there is little chance that they will interrupt views, they complement existing mature native trees on the foreshore and don’t create any other foreseeable inconvenience,” he said.
“There are already well-established trees on the foreshore, and we get no complaints about those.”
City of Melville chief executive Gail Bowman estimated each tree costs about $450, including the cost of the tree and its upkeep including labour and maintenance.
“Keep in mind some the trees have been nurtured from tube stock and may have been growing years before they reach sapling stage and are then vandalised,” she said.
“The vandalism of trees costs the City and ultimately ratepayers considerable money as well as going against the urgent need to address climate change.
“I encourage anyone who witnesses vandalism to trees in our parks, bushlands, wetlands or river foreshore reserves to report it to the City.”
For those who live south of the river, or spend many of their nights out in Fremantle (or have fond memories of doing so) we have some sad news.
Nick’s Place in Fremantle is closing its doors after 40 years. Credit: Facebook
The area’s go-to late night joint Nick’s Place, the kebab shop, is closing after 40 years of business in the historic town’s centre.
In a Facebook post, the local establishment thanked “the many generations for all the support over that time”.
Commenters on the post lamented the news and discussed some of their favourite memories.
“The chips and the chicken salt. You all know that’s where the magic was,” one said.
“Cheers to actual old Nick for being cool with all us youngens [sic] back in the day. Had many a laugh waiting for a feed at this joint,” another wrote.
But not all hope is lost – the post also revealed the owners were looking “forward to bringing quality, value and friendly service back to Nicks Place in the Freo area”, and would “hope to see you over at our new outlet soon”.
Meanwhile, their store in Cockburn remains open for those who can’t wait to get their fix.
Perhaps not as convenient after a night out, but still worth the drive for a good chip gyro or souvlaki.
A Nollamara mother and father have been jailed for nine years for their part in a multimillion-dollar drug syndicate after attempting to help smuggle 56 kilograms of cocaine worth $18 million into the state from Switzerland.
The couple, Harland Luders, 60, and his wife Natalia Luders, 52, were sentenced on Thursday.
The judge said the pair were taken advantage of by a friend – Lloyd Mercer – agreeing to store luxury car tyres with the drugs inside at their home.
He said while they didn’t know exactly what was inside the tyres, they would have known it was illegal.
But their children spoke with media after the sentencing to say their parents were innocent.
You can hear more below.
Tributes are flowing for Perth father James Nowland, who died while BASE jumping in the Italian Dolomites.
Italian media organisation ANSA reported his parachute likely failed to open due to a technical issue after the 42-year-old jumped from the summit of Sass Pordoi on Wednesday afternoon Italian time.
He crashed 400 metres from his designated landing point. A rescue team and helicopter were sent to the scene, with fellow BASE jumpers raising the alarm, but he could not be saved.
“Rest in peace … Hope you’re soaring through the clouds doing what you love forever,” his brother, Adrian Nowland, posted to Facebook on Thursday.
Nowland had been competing in an international competition Pordoi BASE Race – where competitors race to become the world’s fastest.