As it happened: WA news on Friday, May 23

Good afternoon readers, and thanks for following along today.

If you’re interested in a closer look at our 2.55pm post on the Murujuga rock art, we’ve just published this more in-depth report – though, as the Greens and traditional owners have said, a deep-dive into the Murujuga rock art science itself will have to wait for another day.

Will it happen before the federal North West Shelf decision? Now, that is the question.

And it’s worth noting that tomorrow, Saturday 24 May, marks the fifth anniversary of the Juukan Gorge disaster.

Bear that in mind as you head into the weekend – hope you have a good one, even if you’re spending it reading an 800-page report on the effects of industrial chemicals on rocks.

The WA News Live blog will be back on Monday.

Luke Jackson will have another week to make his case as Fremantle’s No.1 ruck as the Dockers look to break into the AFL top eight.

Jackson is Fremantle’s No.1 ruckman while Sean Darcy is sidelined with injury.Credit: AFL Photos via Getty Images

Fremantle will play it safe with ruck partner Sean Darcy, leaving Jackson in charge at the Optus Stadium centre square against Port Adelaide on Saturday night.

Darcy won’t play at any level this weekend as he continues to manage a left knee injury, further hurting the Dockers’ two-ruck experiment.

Darcy has previously had surgery on the same knee, but coach Justin Longmuir said earlier in the week the current injury wasn’t connected.

While Longmuir remains adamant about their ‘horses for courses’ approach in the ruck, Jackson put in a commanding solo performance in their 34-point away win over GWS.

The premiership player tallied 32 hitouts to help the Dockers win the centre clearance count by 15 to eight.

He also finished with 21 disposals, seven clearances and a game-high 15 contested possessions.

Jackson has played predominantly in attack when Darcy has been in the side, but he expressed his love for the ruck after starring against GWS

AAP

The state government has just released the latest report into the condition of rock art on Murujuga in the Burrup Peninsula.

The report’s main findings, according to the state government, can be read below.

Key findings from the research include:

• The program’s data does not support earlier theories suggesting acid rain or deposition is contributing to damage of the rock art.
• An initial determination of ambient air quality levels considered safe for Murujuga’s rock art has been made and will be refined as the program continues.

Air quality and emissions trends

• Air quality data collected over the past 18 months aligns with previous modelling.
• Levels of key pollutants such as nitrogen dioxide and sulphur dioxide have declined since 2014.

Rock surface analysis

• The upper layer of granophyre - one of five rock types under study - shows elevated porosity in an area near Dampier. Current evidence suggests this occurred during periods of significantly higher industrial emissions in the 1970s.
• Further research will investigate these processes, including the role of microbial activity and chemical or chemo-microbial interactions.

In a media release, state Environment Minister Matthew Swinbourn said findings from the program have informed the development of interim Environmental Quality Criteria, which are now being used to guide regulation of industrial emissions on the peninsula.

The announcement comes after Mardathoonera woman Raelene Cooper this morning announced a legal challenge over Woodside’s North West Shelf extension in an attempt to compel new federal Environment Minister Murray Watt to make a determination on a legal request she made in 2022 under Aboriginal heritage laws to protect the Murujuga rock art.

“Today the government has finally released the Murujuga Rock Art Monitoring Report, late on a Friday the same day I announced my court challenge,” Cooper said.

“Clearly they don’t want it closely scrutinised to see if the claims made in the media release actually stack up with what’s in the full 800-page report.”

Greens climate change spokeswoman Sophie McNeill also criticised the government for the timing of the release.

“The real headline ... is that it confirms there has been damage to these ancient rocks, clearly stating in the summary that there is evidence of “elevated levels of porosity” close to industry at Dampier,” she said.

“It strikes me as too much of a coincidence that the government has sat on this report for six months and then tried to play down this very significant finding in the report’s summary.”

One of WA’s biggest food science triumphs, the Bravo apple, will now be sold globally in juice form.

The move will make sure more of the annual crop of Bravo apples is used each year.

Bravo apples and the Soluna juice.

The Bravo apple has been harvested for 10 seasons after being developed by food scientists in Manjimup and exports of the fruit has grown from $0 to $1.7 million in the space of three years.

Fruitwest Cooperative chair Anne Lister said the juice, which will be marketed under the Bravo’s international “Soluna” branding, will ensure there is less waste each year.

“This added value product is fantastic to actually make sure that just about all of our harvest can be processed in some way, and that goes a long way to downgrading food waste in our society,” she said.

Lister announced the juice alongside Food and Agriculture Minister Jackie Jarvis and WA Farm Direct’s Jenny Mercer in Perth this morning.

MPs from both sides of Parliament have denounced the graffiti that appeared on Parliament House this morning.

The phrase ’14,000 babies’ was found graffitied on the large green door on the Harvest Terrace side of Parliament House on Friday morning – a reference to comments made by United Nations humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher earlier this week that many babies could die in coming days without aid reaching stranded Gazans.

Food and Agriculture Minister Jackie Jarvis said the state respected the right for peaceful protests but trespassing on private property was not the West Australian way.

“I understand Police are investigating, and so whilst protesting is certainly acceptable when it’s done in peace, graffiti is certainly not acceptable,” she said.

Opposition Leader Basil Zempilas condemned the vandalism.

“While people have a right to protest and express their views peacefully and lawfully, actions that target groups within our multicultural society should not be tolerated,” he said.

“Our Parliament is representative of multicultural Western Australia and it’s defacing appears to be a deliberate attack on that representation.”

With surfers fighting to stay on the Championship Tour, the Margaret River Pro will remain on hold for a second day in the hope of better conditions arriving.

The men’s field managed to complete their round of 16 on Wednesday, with local wildcard Jacob Willcox the sole Australian survivor following the shock exits of defending champion Jack Robinson and Queensland star Ethan Ewing.

South West local Jacob Willcox surfs The Box in the round of 16 at the Margaret River Pro on Wednesday.Credit: Beatriz Ryder/World Surf League

Competition was moved later Wednesday back to Main Break, but the rising onshore wind and increasing swell quickly changed conditions, leading to a decision to delay the women’s round of 16.

The women haven’t surfed since Tuesday, when Australian veteran Sally Fitzgibbons advanced through the elimination heats.

Next in wait lies is current world No.1 and defending Margaret Pro champion Gabriela Bryan with Fitzgibbons needing at least a quarter-final appearance to avoid a third straight top- 10 mid-season cut.

Holding down her No.14 ranking will at least ensure she keeps her place on the Championship Tour in 2026, with the women’s field expanding.

In a stacked Aussie field, Molly Picklum, Tyler Wright, Isabella Nichols, who are safe above the cut-line, and local wildcard Bronte Macaulay will also contest the round of 16 with the next call early Saturday morning.

AAP

The Adelaide 36ers have confirmed one of the biggest signing coups in NBL history, luring ex-Wildcats star Bryce Cotton back to the league after he appeared likely to have played his last game.

Reports of the signing emerged on Thursday night before the Sixers confirmed on Friday morning that Cotton would join on a three-year deal.

It comes only months after the man widely regarded among the NBL’s greatest-ever players knocked back a rich contract extension at Perth and said he was unlikely to play for another NBL team.

The American combo guard had been linked with a move to the Japanese team coached by Trevor Gleeson, under whom he won three championships at the Wildcats.

Instead, Cotton’s arrival at the Sixers looms as a major boost for a side that returned to the post-season this year for the first time since 2018.

“The opportunity to bring in one of the all-time greats of the NBL is hard to pass up,” said Sixers general manager of basketball Matt Weston.

“Bryce has a history of winning championships, of personal and team excellence, and he’s going to help us transform our culture and our standards to build a team capable of winning championships.”

AAP

The inquest into the death of Sandipan Dhar, who died after his leukaemia went undiagnosed at Joondalup Health Campus in March last year, wrapped up yesterday after three days of hearings.

At the heart of the inquest is whether Sandipan should have received a blood test earlier than he did, which would have uncovered the blood cancer and may have changed the course of his treatment.

On the final day of hearings Sandipan’s father Sanjoy gave heart-wrenching testimony that he felt betrayed by the hospital and partially blamed himself for his son’s death.

Much of Thursday’s testimony centred around the differing accounts from Sanjoy Dhar and the hospital on the advice and decisions made the second last time Sandipan had visited the hospital – including why a blood test was not ordered.

Deputy Coroner Sarah Linton will now assess all the evidence and prepare her findings.

Here is our 9 News colleague Ezra Holt’s package on the final day of the inquest:

To breaking news and police have two people in custody over an incident in Perth’s northern suburbs this morning, when staff at a deli were threatened, and had the store robbed by a man with a sword.

Around 7.45am, a man entered the store on Cockman Road in Greenwood, where he allegedly pulled out the sword and threatened staff, before making off with a sum of cash.

The person was described as aged in their mid to late teens, of medium build, with a dark complexion and riding an e-scooter.

Police resources were deployed to the area to investigate, and two people have since been taken into custody.

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

All reports can be made anonymously.

About 30 protesters, including newly sworn in Upper House Greens MP Sophie McNeill, have blocked the entrance to the US Consulate office along St Georges Terrace this morning to protest the US and Australian government’s role in the Gaza humanitarian crisis.

The graffiti discovered at WA parliament house on Friday morning.Credit: Kelly Haywood

Just before the protest, graffiti was discovered spray-painted on a door at Parliament House, referencing claims made by United Nations humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher in relation to the crisis this week.

There is no suggestion the two events are linked.

McNeill said she did not know anything about the graffiti, and that the protest was entirely separate.

She said the consulate protest was an escalation over the dire situation facing Palestinians cut off from aid in the Gaza Strip.

“We wanted to show the US government and send a strong message that were not just going to watch when children starve to death,” she said.

WA Police said they attended the protest and the crowd dispersed peacefully. No arrests were made.

Regarding the graffiti, police said they were called to Parliament House along Harvest Terrace in West Perth around 7.55am this morning.

They said State Security Investigation Group officers were now investigating the matter and were unable to comment further at this stage.