As it happened: WA news on Monday, May 12

We’re bringing our blog to a close for the day now, thank you for joining us. We will have more for you in our next coverage.

Here’s a recap of some of the day’s headlines:

• The Australian women’s soccer team, the Matildas, will be returning to Western Australia in June and July to play four international matches.
• A woman has been charged after allegedly crashing a car into the wall of a house in Balga overnight.
• Diversified miner South32 has announced its chief executive Graham Kerr will step down after more than a decade at the helm.
• A WA woman has been accused of murdering a man in a domestic violence incident in the state’s north.
• Armadale and Byford commuters can rejoice, sort of, after Transport Minister Rita Saffioti offered a vague timeline that the Armadale to Byford rail extension would be open before the end of the year.
• The Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has just announced a second West Australian will enter his cabinet.
• Two young hikers who were reported missing in the Perth Hills on Sunday evening have been found alive and well after several hours of searching, including by helicopter.
• And the head of rugby league in WA has predicted the Perth Bears will have 30,000 local members in their first season and lay claim to one of the NRL’s biggest fan bases.

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

The head of rugby league in WA has predicted the Perth Bears will have 30,000 local members in their first season and lay claim to one of the NRL’s biggest fan bases.

North Sydney Bears supporters celebrate the club’s return in Perth.Credit: Steven Siewert

Half a week on from being confirmed as the league’s 18th team, officials have begun laying the groundwork for the Bears’ competition entry in 2027.

A board is expected to be implemented by the NRL in coming weeks, with former state Labor minister Peter Tinley among those linked to a role as one of at least three West Australian directors.

That will clear the way for a CEO and coach to be named, with Brad Arthur the favourite to mentor the team and Sam Burgess also interested.

Off the field, local officials are confident they can amass a significant following.

Next month’s State of Origin game at the 60,000-seat Optus Stadium is expected to be the third straight to sell out in Perth, while NRL double-headers have attracted crowds of between 30,000 and 46,000.

There is potential for strong support from devotees from the Western Reds days of the mid-1990s, along with ex-pats from both the east coast and England.

“I believe if this is done really meticulously and professionally, I would say 30,000 local members. I think 30,000 is achievable,” NRL WA chief executive John Sackson said.

“I am getting texts from people saying where do I sign?”

AAP

Two young hikers who were reported missing in the Perth Hills on Sunday evening have been found alive and well after several hours of searching, including by helicopter.

A concerned resident posted on a local Facebook page, warning others that two “kids” who had hiked to Rocky Pool in Kalamunda that day had not returned home.

WA Police confirmed the pair were reported overdue to return around 6pm on Sunday evening.

A spokesperson said Police Air Wing conducted a flyover, while attending police units conducted a walk through of the area.

“About 8pm the hikers made their way to a nearby residence, and were found to be safe and well,” they said.

“The incident is a timely reminder to those heading out on walk trails to always carry appropriate safety equipment and let someone know the intended route, destination and estimated time of return.”

To federal politics now where the Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has just announced a second West Australian will enter his cabinet.

Anne Aly joins the federal cabinet as Minister for Small Business, International Development and Multicultural Affairs.Credit: Alex Ellinghausen

Cowan MP Anne Aly was in the outer ministry last term but now joins fellow West Australian Madeleine King on the inner ministry as Minister for Small Business, International Development and Multicultural Affairs.

King will remain Minister for Resources and Northern Australia.

Aly’s promotion comes after significant agitation within WA Labor for more representation in Albanese’s cabinet after the 2022 election result that secured the party government and the extra two MPs added to caucus from the latest election.

There was a concern in the party internally that Labor’s strong result on the east coast would dilute WA’s sway in caucus.

Speaking after their election victory King said she always wanted to see more West Australians in the cabinet.

Veterans’ Affairs and Defence Personnel Minister Matt Keogh remains in the outer ministry with those portfolios while Perth MP Patrick Gorman and Fremantle MP Josh Wilson remain assistant ministers.

The architect of the live sheep export ban, Murray Watt’s appointment to Environment Minister has ruffled feathers out west.

Shadow attorney general Michaelia Cash said Watt needed to approve the North West Shelf extension as soon as possible.

“Murray Watt has let Western Australia down in the past by killing the live sheep export industry,” she said.

“He should not do more damage to Western Australia by delaying this decision any further.”

Armadale and Byford commuters can rejoice, sort of, after Transport Minister Rita Saffioti offered a vague timeline that the Armadale to Byford rail extension would be open before the end of the year.

While vague, it is Saffioti’s clearest indication yet of an opening date.

The Perth to Armadale line has been closed since 2023. Credit: Colin Murty

The Armadale line was shut in November 2023 and was originally promised to reopen 18 months later, while the line was elevated through Victoria Park, Cannington and Armadale.

The Victoria Park to Cannington project will open in June, marking just under 19 months since the line was shut down.

The remainder of the line from Kenwick to Byford, however, will not reopen for another few months prompting accusations that the government has broken its promise.

Saffioti said an announcement about the Byford extension opening, which would also mark the reopening of the Australind route which uses that rail line, would happen “very soon”.

When asked how confident Saffioti was that the line would open by the end of the year Saffioti said: “Yes, we’re confident.”

A WA woman has been accused of murdering a man in a domestic violence incident in the state’s north.

WA Police said a 26-year-old woman allegedly assaulted a 28-year-old man on Friday night just minutes before police arrived at the scene on Koolama Street in Wyndham around midnight.

The man was conveyed to Kununurra Hospital, and then flown by Royal Flying Doctor’s Service to Royal Darwin Hospital, but later died.

The woman was arrested at the scene and has been charged with murder and breaching protective bail conditions.

She is due to appear in court this morning.

Diversified miner South32 has announced its chief executive Graham Kerr will step down after more than a decade at the helm.

In a statement released to the market on Monday, South32 confirmed London-based Anglo American executive Matthew Daley would join the company as deputy chief executive in February 2026 before taking the reins later that year.

Daley, who joined Anglo American in 2017, is tipped to be paid $2 million a year in the role and take home multimillion-dollar bonuses.

South32 chair Karen Wood praised Kerr for his outstanding contribution over the past decade of service, which began as the company spun off from mining giant BHP in 2015, and said the board was confident Daley was the right successor.

The Perth-headquartered miner operates the Worsley Alumina bauxite mine and alumina refinery in the state’s South West, one of the largest refineries of its kind in the world.

The global miner also runs a lead-silver-zinc mine in north west Queensland and manganese operation in the Northern Territory.

South32’s share price was up 2.5 per cent on Monday to trade at $2.86.

To overnight news now, and a woman has been charged after allegedly crashing a car into the wall of a house in Balga.

WA Police said the woman, 29, was behind the wheel of a white Subaru Forester when it crashed into a wall on Walderton Avenue around 10.50pm.

The car crashed into a house in Balga on Sunday night.Credit: 9 News Perth

The force of the crash demolished the wall.

The woman has been charged with careless driving, failing to provide a sample of breath, failing to comply with the requirement of a police office and failing to carry overseas official documentation of driving authorisation.

She is due to appear in court next month.

The Australian women’s soccer team, the Matildas, will be returning to Western Australia in June and July to play four international matches.

Three of the ‘friendly’ games will be played in Perth, with the fourth to be played in Bunbury, marking the first-ever Matildas fixture to be played in regional WA.

The Matildas celebrate Mary Fowler’s goal during a match last month.Credit: Getty Images

The two visiting international teams will be Slovenia and Panama, with tickets going on sale from tomorrow.

It’s unclear if captain Sam Kerr will play in the matches as the Perth local continues to recover from an ACL injury, while also welcoming her first child.

Tourism minister Reece Whitby said the matches will mark the first time the Matildas have played in Perth since the Olympic Qualifiers in October 2023.

“Western Australians love the Matildas, and it’s fantastic to welcome them back to Perth for
another international series, building on the momentum of 2023’s unforgettable Olympic
qualifiers and FIFA Women’s World Cup,” he said.

“These matches are not only exciting for local fans, but they’ll also drive WA residents and out-
of-state visitors into Perth and the South West, supporting tourism and hospitality businesses
across the State during the winter period.”

Here’s what’s making national and international headlines today:

• Tim Wilson is considering a shock tilt at leading the Liberal Party as the Coalition braces for a cut-throat battle to lead the Nationals in a vote that will act as a proxy on Australia’s climate target and threatens to reshape the relationship between the two parties.
• Overseas, Pope Leo XIV issued a powerful call for peace during his first Sunday address as pontiff, urging world leaders to end violence and echoing the words of his predecessor as he declared: “No more war.”

Pope Leo XIV delivering the Regina Caeli prayer from St Peter’s Basilica.Credit: Getty Images

• The Trump administration intends to accept a Boeing 747-8 – valued at more than $US400 million ($620 million) and described as “a flying palace” – from the Qatari royal family that would then be outfitted to serve as Air Force One.