As it happened: WA news on Friday, March 28

Good afternoon readers, and thanks for following along this week.

The live blog will return on Monday.

Stay safe and have a great weekend.

Federal police have seized $2.6 million in cash and illegal tobacco and vaping products across Perth overnight and have charged a 26-year-old man over the contraband.

On Thursday, police executed search warrants at the man’s residence in Baldivis, a courier company in Perth’s southern suburbs, and various storage facilities across Perth.

At the courier company, officers seized about $900,000 cash concealed in packaged microwave ovens waiting to be shipped to Melbourne.

They seized about 645,000 cigarettes, 19,000 vapes, and 200 pouches of loose-leaf tobacco at the other locations.

The 26-year-old was charged under Operation Snug, an ongoing investigation into an organised crime group allegedly dealing in the proceeds of crime from the sale of illicit tobacco and vaping products in WA.

He faced court on Friday charged with dealing with money or property valued at over $100,000, believed to be the proceeds of crime, and possessing tobacco being an excisable good where excise duty is payable on the tobacco and the weight is 100 kilograms or more.

Australian Federal Police Inspector Chris Colley said criminals had no regard for the significant health issues illegal products presented for the community and the burden they placed on the health systems.

“Criminal networks also use the profits from the sale of illicit tobacco products to support other serious criminal activities,” he said.

If you missed it this morning, reporter Brendan Foster has said the usual fanfare and excitment surrounding an upcoming western derby has been lacklustre this time around.

The western derby in April, 2023. Credit: AFL Photos

Maybe, he muses, it’s because both teams haven’t played finals for a few years so followers can’t be bothered mustering up any distemper with no success in sight.

Both Eagles and the Dockers are huddled together in the last two spots on the ladder, and both have lost their games for the season so far.

Fremantle lost to Geelong by a whopping 78 points in round one, before going down to Sydney by a nail-biting three points.

West Coast went down to the Suns and the Lions. Again, their round two match was a much closer competition.

It’s a pretty even match – so who do you think will come out on top in Sunday’s clash?

Back to crime news, and a man has died this morning after his motorbike collided with a car in Perth’s southern suburbs on Thursday night.

Around 9.40pm, the 38-year-old was riding a black Honda motorcycle travelling south on Anstruther Road in Mandurah.

The two vehicles collided on Thursday night. Credit: Night News

A white Hyundai Getz hatchback was turning right onto Scott Street from Anstruther Road at the same time when the pair collided.

The 38-year-old was rushed to Peel Health Campus with severe injuries where he later died.

The 21-year-old female driver of the Hyundai Getz was uninjured.

Major Crash investigators are conducting an examination of the scene and are appealing for any witnesses to call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or to make a report online.

One man has died and another is lucky to be alive after being swept away by strong currents during a multi-day rafting and kayaking tour in the Kimberley.

On Monday, a group of nine were kayaking along the Drysdale River, about 150 kilometres from Wyndham, when a 79-year-old man fell from his raft and into the water. He became stuck, submerged underwater.

A 59-year-old man jumped in to assist but became distressed due to the fast-flowing current and was swept away.

When emergency crews arrived, they found the second man holding on to a tree, also submerged and surrounded by fast-moving rapids about 15 metres from shore.

He was rescued and did not require medical attention.

Two days later, water police, officers from Kununurra Police Station, specialist members from the Queensland Fire Department swift water team and WA’s Department of Fire and Emergency Services were deployed to Drysdale Station.

Specialist equipment was airlifted to the area which is inaccessible by road, and two chartered rotatory aircraft, two chartered fixed wing aircraft and a Police Air Wing aircraft were also needed to help find the 79-year-old.

On March 27, despite heavy overnight rain and rising water levels, his body was recovered from the water.

The matter has been referred to WorkSafe and WA Police will prepare a report for the coroner.

Kimberley District Detective Superintendent John Hutchison said it had been an extremely challenging search and rescue operation given the weather, difficult terrain and remote location.

“I would like to thank everyone involved in this incident, and express our sincere condolences to the family of the deceased man,” he said.

Students at the University of Western Australia have expressed their dismay at a policy that has banned certain slogans from use during their campaigning.

Students for Palestine members were told use of certain statements would breach UWA policy.

Students for Palestine members were told use of certain statements would breach UWA policy.Credit: Fairfax Media

Group member Clare Francis said she submitted a number of inquiries to the university regarding which slogans and phrases were considered a breach.

She was told students were banned from painting the words “from the river to the sea, Palestine will be free” on a banner.

The slogan is divisive and has faced criticism from those who see it as a demand for the destruction of Israel – a statement vigorously countered by others.

Two other slogans are up in the air, with Francis unable to get a clear answer on whether they would be allowed to use them.

She said it was a “slap in the face”.

“Universities should be places of rigorous discourse, serious engagement, truth telling and scientific discovery,” she said.

“What kind of signal is the university sending to staff and students? Students vow to resist such challenges.”

UWA students will be submitting their cases to the People’s Inquiry into Campus Free Speech on Palestine, which is taking submissions on cases regarding the denial of free speech and freedom of assembly regarding Palestine across Australian universities.

With international competition in the resources sector becoming more aggressive, senior mining executives have warned Australia must get its policy settings right to remain an attractive destination for investment.

BHP’s WA iron ore asset president Tim DayCredit: AFR

Argentina, Canada, Chile and the US are among nations making “massive” changes to bolster their resource sectors, BHP’s Western Australian iron ore asset president Tim Day says.

“Australia has put a lot of thought into its future,” he told a Perth business lunch on Thursday.

“We’ve got to make sure the policy settings that are going through are going to be conducive of investment and competing.

“If we’re not careful, we put Australia in a position where it doesn’t compete.”

Day said while the demand for resources would remain strong into the future, the Albanese government “needs to understand that this is getting much more complex very fast”.

Asked about the growing union membership at Pilbara mine sites, Day raised concerns about Australia’s industrial relation laws and said they risked driving costs up.

“We’ve got to be really thoughtful about that as a country otherwise we end up in this position where you start to then lose investment longer term,” he said.

“You won’t see it today ... but you will see it in five, 10 to 20 years time and that alters how that is the entire economy will play out.”

AAP

Police are looking for information following an incident where a man forced entry to a home in WA’s far north, approached an elderly woman who lived there and exposed his genitals.

On March 27 around 7pm, the unknown man allegedly entered the address in South Hedland and committed the indecent act.

The woman ran out of her house to a neighbour, who then called police.

Anyone with information relating to this incident is urged to call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or report online at www.crimestopperswa.com.au.

Batten down the hatches – the Bureau of Meteorology has released a tropical cyclone warning for residents living in the state’s Kimberley region.

The cyclone map on Friday morning.Credit: Bureau of Meteorology

The cyclone is moving towards the coast and will hit tonight or Saturday morning, most likely northeast of Derby between Kuri Bay and Cape Leveque.

But good news – it is expected to remain a category 1.

The Bureau is still warning of gales with damaging wind gusts of up to 100 kilometres per hour in coastal areas between Mitchell Plateau and Beagle Bay during this evening and Saturday morning.

Gales are less likely at Derby, with the highest risk period being during Saturday, and may extend east to Troughton Island on Friday evening if the system takes a track further east.

Heavy rainfall which may lead to flash flooding is also possible in parts of the northern and western Kimberley from Friday, extending further inland during the weekend.

A 55-year-old man and 50-year-old woman from Gidgegannup have each received a suspended 12-month prison sentence after 67 animals in appalling condition were seized from their home in two separate raids.

Dogs, cats, goats, horses, and several smaller pets were found in various states of distress and neglect during a raid at the three-acre address in January 2023.

An RSPCA WA inspector carries a crate containing quails from the property. Credit: RSPCA WA

The property was littered with household rubbish that reached the ceiling, rotting food, faeces, building materials and overcrowded animal cages containing guinea pigs, rabbits, rats, cats and birds.

Two small dogs were living inside the home, one with a fractured jaw and severe dental infection, while the other had dental disease and painful osteoarthritis.

Outside, there were more animals including a horse with its ribs, hips, and spine visible, and a severe skin infection.

Five dogs, six cats, one horse, one pony, nine guinea pigs, three goats, eight rabbits, eight rats, one chicken, and five quails were seized from the home.

In sentencing Magistrate Brionie Ayling said the cruelty was “entrenched neglect”.

The pair were ordered to pay $25,783.86 in reimbursement costs to RSPCA WA, and $10,500 in other costs.

The woman also received a $1000 fine for charges of hindering and threatening an inspector.

The couple were banned from owning animals for 15 years, except a dog and a bird for the man and a dog and a cat for the woman.

They will be required to allow inspectors to monitor the condition of these animals and they must take the animals to a vet at least once every 12 months.