As it happened: WA news on Tuesday, November 5

We’re bringing our blog to a close, thank you for joining us in what was a busy day for (non-US election or horse racing-related) news.

Among the headlines today was the sad news of the death of an off-duty WA Police officer, who was pulled from the water while scuba diving at Mettams Pool in Trigg.

Emergency services rushed to the scene but the woman, in her 40s, could not be saved.

Meanwhile, an independent report has examined the circumstances surrounding the death of a toddler at Joondalup Health Campus; and WA Premier Roger Cook, while conceding he was “disappointed” about the tax scandal engulfing soon-to-be-former Mineral Resources boss Chris Ellison, stopped short of promising to return a $9000 donation WA Labor received from the miner in July.

Scroll back to read over the day that was, and we’ll see you again tomorrow. There’s an election going on overseas – you may have heard about it? – but we’ll keep the news live and local in our blog.

And in other news, a court has been told a teenage girl who was admitted to Perth Children’s Hospital at 28 kilograms when she was almost 17 years old was encouraged to sing along to television shows aimed at preschool children and did not know how to go to the toilet alone.

The girl’s Floreat parents are on trial in Perth’s District Court over allegations they neglected the child by allowing her to become dangerously underweight and allegedly refused to get her medically assessed.

On Tuesday, an occupational therapist gave evidence that she assessed the girl’s age appropriateness and independence over three sessions by asking her about her interests and activities during a hospital stay in 2021.

She found the girl could do little for herself, stated that her mum did most things for her and did not seem concerned about the inappropriateness of her interests and activities in relation to her age.

When pressed, the woman said the girl was encouraged to watch and sing along to The Teletubbies, The Wiggles and Thomas the Tank Engine and was “excited” when her father gifted her a magnetic fishing game for her 17th birthday.

The now-woman at the centre of the trial is expected to take the stand in the coming days.

Health Minister Amber-Jade Sanderson has just held a press conference responding an independent review released today into a toddler’s death at Joondalup Health Campus earlier this year.

Sandipan Dhar died in the hospital on March 24, more than one month after he began suffering a long-running mild fever which was eventually revealed to be related to undiagnosed leukaemia.

Sanderson welcomed the release of today’s report and said it was clear the incident had been taken “incredibly seriously”.

WA Health Minister Amber-Jade Sanderson.Credit: Hamish Hastie

“What comes through very strongly in the review is the importance of listening to parents,” she said.

“And I would like to thank the reviewers for genuinely trying to understand the perspective of the parents.”

Sanderson said the government was investing $269 million into redeveloping Joondalup Health Campus, and work was already under way on a public bed block which would expand capacity.

“The government has also strengthened the terms of the new contract with Ramsay, which will be in place from 2025,” she said.

“The report will lead to lasting changes at Joondalup Health Campus and more broadly across the health system to, in particular, elevate parental concerns.

“Unfortunately, though, it will not bring back a little boy who has been lost.”

She said it was a “disappointing” a medical centre which Sandipan’s family took him to before going to the hospital emergency department declined to take part in the review.

“I wrote to them and requested that they meet with the family even just to hear their concerns, and they declined to do that,” she said.

“I think it’s disappointing, and it doesn’t meet community expectations.

“Their view is that they are simply a subcontractor for general practitioners.

“My view, and I think the community’s view, is that when you present yourself as a care provider, that you are then accountable to the people that you provide care for.”

The report made nine recommendations to Joondalup Health Campus and one external recommendation, which was to support a coronial inquest into Sandipan’s death and review his care before he presented to hospital.

The hospital has committed to implementing all nine recommendations.

These include improving communication and relationships with staff and visitors to the ED; enhancing the function of the paediatric pod in the ED, including more staff and more skills to meet the increased demand of the hospital and increasing beds at the hospital.

The report also recommended the hospital review its complaints and patient liaison services.

Back to that bushfire in Harrisdale, where authorities have just downgraded the warning level to “advice” after the fire was contained and controlled.

Residents are urged to stay alert and monitor their surroundings and keep doors and windows closed. Harrisdale Drive remains closed at the intersection of Sacred Glade.

Firefighters are mopping up in the area after the fire, which was first reported around 1.17pm, burnt about one hectare of bushland.

Stay up to date: visit Emergency WA, call 13 DFES (13 3337), follow DFES on Facebook, listen to Radio 6PR, ABC Local Radio or news bulletins.

In an update to our 12.49pm post, we can confirm that an off-duty police officer died while diving at Trigg Beach today.

A rescue vessel in the water today. Credit: 9 News Perth

It was about 10.30am when emergency services were called about a diver in distress.

Water Police, Police Air Wing, Marine Rescue, City of Stirling Surf Lifesaving and St John WA rushed to the scene.

They pulled the woman from the water but first aid attempts were unsuccessful.

The woman was a first class constable and was in her 40s.

A report will be prepared for the coroner.

Police said their hearts were heavy.

“Our thoughts and deepest condolences are extended to her family and colleagues,” a spokesperson said.

“Attending to life and death situations is a daily reality for first responders but incidents involving one of our own are especially difficult.

“Our Health, Welfare and Safety Division will provide support to those impacted by this tragedy.

“The family of the deceased has requested privacy during this incredibly difficult time.”

Authorities have warned people in Harrisdale, in the City of Armadale, to either flee their homes or enact their defence plans as a bushfire rages.

A Watch and Act alert is in place for people in an area bounded by Wright Road, Nicholson Road and Harrisdale Road.

Firefighters are onsite. Some roads may be closed.

If your plan is to leave, leave now and take with you an emergency kit containing an AM/FM radio that runs off batteries, a first aid kit, a woollen blanket, phones, protective clothing, medication and irreplaceable valuables. Decide where you will go and how you will get there. This could be with family or friends away from the fire.

Keep your doors and windows closed to keep out smoke. Turn off evaporative air conditioners, but keep water running through the system if possible to prevent embers entering your home. Move flammable materials such as doormats, wheelie bins and outdoor furniture away from your home.

If you plan to stay and defend ensure you are mentally and physically prepared, with protective clothing and an independent water supply. Make final preparations now and start patrolling your property to put out spot fires.

Owners or carers of livestock, pets and companion animals should activate their own animal welfare plan.

Motorists are asked to avoid the area, reduce speed and drive carefully.

Stay up to date: visit Emergency WA, call 13 DFES (13 3337), follow DFES on Facebook, listen to Radio 6PR, ABC Local Radio or news bulletins.

And in other news, the state opposition has lashed the Cook government over its 11th-hour bid to amend the Electoral Act, which leader Shane Love branded a “brazen, self-serving political manoeuvre” to attack a rival party.

The state government introduced the “urgent” changes amid concerns over the registration of the Democratic Labour Party - abbreviated to ‘Labour DLP’ - ahead of the March state election.

WA Opposition Leader Shane Love.Credit: Jesinta Burton

Premier Roger Cook told ABC Radio the move was aimed at improving the integrity of the electoral system and addressing the threat of voters becoming confused between the two parties before the upcoming election.

But opposition leader Shane Love said he believed the move was aimed at shielding Labor’s brand from a “perceived political threat”.

He said the legislative overhaul was a misuse of Labor’s majority in both houses of parliament, accusing the party of taking matters into its own hands after the state’s own electoral commission dismissed its initial complaint:

This government has had every opportunity to stack the deck in its favour, already pushing through two packages of major electoral reforms in this term, only to improperly deem further reforms as ‘urgent’ in a desperate bid to save their own skin.

The Democratic Labour Party has every right to legitimately participate in this election.

It’s a party with a rich history tied to the Labor movement, including representation with six senators and seven federal House of Representatives seats in its prime.

Emergency services have been called to the scene of an unfolding incident at Mettams Pool, in Perth’s northern suburbs.

Items left on the beach after the incident.Credit: 9 News Perth

The alarm was raised at 10.45am, 9 News Perth reported, after two people went scuba diving, then a man returned to shore and called for help.

St John Ambulance has confirmed they sent multiple crews at “priority 1” speed to attend an incident involving a woman in her 40s.

Police have been contacted for further information.

Curtin University has joined forces with NASA on a mission to study the colour of the ocean from space and learn about the ocean’s role in regulating climate.

Professor David Antoine with the buoy. Credit: Curtin University

Alongside other participants the University of Miami, San José State University and the National Institute of Standards and Technology, they have deployed a 15-metre buoy near Rottnest as part of a new project to ensure the data quality for NASA’s new PACE satellite mission.

Professor David Antoine, head of Curtin’s Remote Sensing and Satellite Research Group, said the new system would verify PACE’s satellite observations.

“We typically think of the ocean’s colour as blue, but in many places, it looks blue-green because those areas are teeming with single-celled plants called phytoplankton, which contain chlorophyll and absorb the blue light,” Professor Antoine said.

“Phytoplankton are tiny plants that, in addition to being a vital food source for all marine life, collectively produce more than half of the world’s oxygen and absorb almost as much carbon dioxide as all the trees and land plants on Earth.

“By measuring the colour of the ocean … we can study the enormous impact phytoplankton have on our climate and the potential of this tiny plant to help combat climate change.

“Sensors on the buoy capture and analyse colours within sunlight reflected from the ocean to measure algae levels. This data is sent to shore via the mobile network, where it then helps fine-tune the satellite sensors for more accurate ocean monitoring.”

Premier Roger Cook has expressed his disappointment with the tax evasion scandal engulfing miner Mineral Resources and its soon-to-be ex-boss Chris Ellison, but ruled out handing back $9000 in donations the miner made to WA Labor.

Cook told ABC Radio this morning he was “very disappointed” by Monday’s revelations.

The premier pointed out the miner was a large employer in WA, with more than 7000 staff on the payroll and a host of mum-and-dad investors.

“People should have confidence that when someone is at the helm of a publicly listed company, they do the right thing,” he said.

Cook declined to be drawn on whether the billionaire should have been afforded another year at the helm.

And he stopped short of promising to return a $9000 donation WA Labor accepted from the miner in July, while the state government was mulling changes to the gas policy which ultimately benefited gas assets MinRes has now sold to Gina Rinehart’s Hancock Prospecting for $1.1 billion.

The comments came as the WA Greens called on Cook and his government to “come clean” on the nature of its relationship with MinRes and Ellison, given its lobbying to relax restrictions on the exporting of onshore gas and the fact former premier Mark McGowan is on the payroll.

You can read more in the related article.