As it happened: WA news on Wednesday, January 29

That’s where we’re going to leave you today, readers. Thank you for joining us.

Among the headlines today was the news that Perth us leading the nation for both house and unit price increases.

However, experts warn the sluggish growth will do little to help affordability woes that have weighed down the market.

Roger Cook has supported the state’s top cop, saying right-wing extremists undermine the social cohesion in WA.

And West Coast Eagles player Reuben Ginbey has appeared in Joondalup Magistrate’s Court, where he has admitted to urinating in public and then refusing to give police his personal details.

Former Catholic Bishop of Broome Christopher Saunders is facing six new child sexual abuse charges, including an allegation he raped a boy under the age of 13.

And for those gripped to the edge of their seats as to how Perth elephant Permai’s journey to Adelaide was going, you can all rejoice, she has made it to her new home safe and sound.

Thanks again for joining us, see you again tomorrow for more news you need to know.

And in other news, Perth property developer Sirona Urban’s new $150 million student accommodation tower has reached structural height, with the opening of the 736-bed facility on track to coincide with that of the ECU city campus.

The 30-level tower, dubbed UniLodge Perth Central, is situated on a previously vacant lot at the corner of Pier and Wellington Streets.

Perth property developer Sirona Urban’s new $80 million student accommodation tower has reached structural height.

The facility will consist of studio and twin-share studio apartments, as well as three, four, and five bedroom cluster apartments, communal recreational facilities, a cafe and a rooftop terrace.

Student accommodation provider UniLodge is set to take control of the facility’s day-to-day operations once practical completion is achieved in October, several months before the new $856 million ECU city campus opens its doors to more than 8000 students in 2026.

During a topping ceremony on Wednesday, which marks the development reaching structural height, Sirona Urban’s managing director Matthew McNeilly said the accommodation would bolster the city’s housing stock, freeing up rental properties and supporting the growing need for specialised student accommodation.

The proposal received unanimous support from the state’s development agency, despite neighbouring property owners raising concerns about its proximity and its potential to block natural light.

Back to the election trail now where the WA Greens have promised to negotiate a total ban on fracking in WA as Premier Roger Cook reveals he doesn’t think the practice will ever be commercial in the state.

Fracking is a method of gas extraction that fractures bedrock to release the commodity, and it was banned in 98 per cent of WA in 2018 but the remaining two per cent has allowed companies to apply to frack environmentally sensitive areas in the Kimberley.

One of Black Mountain’s proposed wells is two kilometres from Mount Hardman Creek in the Kimberley.

Greens WA candidate and fossil fuels spokesperson Sophie McNeill said Labor caved into fossil fuel companies in 2018 and it was past time for it to end.

“Fracking is banned for good reason in the south west, Peel and Perth regions. It is a dangerous, risky practice that destroys and poisons water supplies and scars our landscapes,” she said.

“Labor knows it’s unsafe which is why they have banned it down south - so why should the people of the Kimberley have to suffer the consequences of this cowboy industry?”

The Greens believe they can win five seats in the upper house at the March election which would put them in a strong negotiating position with the likely future Labor government as it tries to pass other legislation.

When asked about the Greens promise Cook said landowners and traditional owners had a right of veto over fracking proposals while admitting he didn’t believe a fracking project would ever get up.

“I don’t think fracking will ever be commercial in WA. I don’t think any of these projects would go ahead and under our arrangements, no new projects have gone ahead,” he said.

When asked why not just extend the ban to 100 per cent of the state, Cook said it was because businesses had made investments and had existing rights and obligations to pursue those interests.

House prices are set to grow 3.3 per cent across Australia this year, a forecast predicts, with Perth leading the nation for both house and unit increases.

But experts warn the sluggish growth will do little to help affordability woes that have weighed down the market.

The KPMG forecast was one of the more pessimistic predictions for the Australian property market in 2025 which chief economist and partner Dr Brendan Rynne said was mostly due to weakening conditions towards the end of last year.

The forecast growth would be relatively sluggish and was caused in part by a lack of affordability, prompting buyers to hold back to wait for a Reserve Bank rate cut to boost their borrowing capacities, Rynne said, though he thought the expected effect was overstated.

Read more here. 

Sticking with Roger Cook’s press conference, the WA Premier has just addressed concerns over a growing neo-Nazi group based in Perth, and three local men who fronted a court in Adelaide after attending a neo-Nazi rally on Australia Day.

WA Police Commissioner Col Blanch said yesterday that any activity in WA would be “shut down quick smart”.

“We will take action before they form up and start chanting down the street,” he said.

Cook has supported the state’s top cop, today saying right-wing extremists undermine the social cohesion in WA.

“These people are cowards, they hide, they undermine, they jump online, they try and coerce young people into their views of the world,” he said.

“I absolutely endorse the words of the Police Commissioner when he says he’ll kick down doors to arrest people who undermine the Western Australian way of life and undermine our sense of peace, security, inclusiveness and tolerance.”

Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles has just held a press conference in Naval Base alongside WA Premier Roger Cook, where the pair announced a new WA Defence Industry Centre of Excellence to upskill 10,000 workers in preparation for AUKUS operations.

During the media event, Cook was asked whether he was concerned about Nature Positive legislation passing, with backbenchers in the senate agitating for a vote on the environmental reforms in the next week.

The WA Premier is against the laws, which he says are a threat to WA jobs and industry.

“We cannot tolerate laws which damage Western Australia’s economy because it damages the nation and the Prime Minister is more than aware of that,” he said.

“I’ve got a message for those backbenchers, I think predominantly from Victoria, that think that this legislation should go up.

“Your standard of living, the reason why you can afford your long mac and your lattes is because of West Australian industry and the West Australian economy.

“Do not for a moment think that we will stand by idly and allow you to damage our economy because ultimately, it will damage your standard of living.”

Read more here.

West Coast player Reuben Ginbey has just appeared in Joondalup Magistrate’s Court where he has admitted to urinating in public and then refusing to give police his personal details.

The 20-year-old was at the Wildlands Festival at Joondalup Arena when he was caught urinating on the ground next to a barricade about 10 metres away from police officers at 8pm on January 4.

Reuben Ginbey.Credit: Getty Images

When spoken to by police, he remained silent and didn’t provide any personal details.

His lawyer told the court Ginbey was ashamed and embarrassed by his actions, and that he was intoxicated at the time, and in shock when approached by police.

The incident was as out-of-character for the young player, who was described in court as a model student who received a scholarship to Wesley College and had been accepted to study physiotherapy at Notre Dame University.

His lawyer said being detained in custody for four hours, and the publicity that followed the incident had caused Ginbey to suffer and sufficiently pay for his actions.

The magistrate agreed it was not in Ginbey’s typical nature to behave this way, and fined him $1000 in relation to one count of committing an indecent act in public and one count of failing to comply with a request to give police personal details.

Ginbey made his AFL debut in 2023 and managed 17 appearances before injuring his hamstring in the round 18 home clash against Richmond, which required season-ending surgery.

He averaged nearly 14 disposals and six tackles a game and was rewarded with a Rising Star Award nomination in round three.

He was named West Coast’s emerging talent winner last year and “is leading the next generation set to take the club forward”, the Eagles’ website states.

Former Catholic Bishop of Broome Christopher Saunders is facing six new child sexual abuse charges, including an allegation he raped a boy under the age of 13.

The 75-year-old was arrested by detectives on Sunday and charged with three counts of indecent dealings with a child under 13, two counts of common assault and one count of sexual penetration of a child under 13.

Former Broome bishop Christopher Saunders at Broome Magistrates Court last year. Credit: 9News Perth

The alleged offences occurred in Broome between 2009 and 2010.

Saunders is due to appear in Broome Magistrates Court on Monday.

He is now facing a total of 39 charges after initially being charged in February 2024.

He has pleaded not guilty to the majority of the accusations and has always maintained his innocence.

For those gripped to the edge of their seats as to how Perth elephant Permai’s journey to Adelaide was going, you can all rejoice, she has made it to her new home safe and sound.

The 37-year-old’s 36-hour journey came to an end this morning, with the Asian elephant arriving at her new home at Monarto Safari Park, where she will soon meet new pal Burma, who recently arrived at the zoo from New Zealand.

The pair will eventually be joined by another three elephants, including Perth Zoo’s last remaining elephant, Putra Mas, to live out their days on the world’s largest open range safari park outside of Africa.

Australia’s political leaders have demonstrated their drawing skills (or lack there of) after both stopping by Nova 93.7’s Perth radio studios this week while on the election trail in WA.

Liberal leader Peter Dutton, who yesterday declared the west was where the looming election would be won, took a subtle dig at Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, drawing the PM and his partner inside a house on a hill overlooking the ocean, signing it ‘To Albo, happy retirement’ in a jab radio host Nathan Morris quipped was, “polite but also kicks him in the balls”.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Opposition Leader Peter Dutton’s drawings of one another, sketched on the Nova 93.7 radio show in Perth this week. Credit: Instagram / @nathannatandshaun

His sketch was a response to Albo’s attempt the day before to draw the opposition leader.

“It’s impressive, and it really sums up the PM’s total skill set there,” Dutton said after being presented with the framed original.

It comes after recent polling showed Dutton had a significant lead on Albanese as preferred prime minister, ahead by 39 to 34 per cent after being tied on the key question at the end of last year.

Dutton, while having coffee with locals in Kalamunda yesterday, said he believed the election would be won in WA.

“I think on election night we’ll be looking west to see the results,” he said.

“If we can change some of these seats, and Matt Moran can become the member for Bullwinkel, we can win. I think we can win the election but there’s a long way to go between now and then.”