As it happened: WA news on Friday, September 20

That’s all from our blog today, folks. Thank you for joining us.

As we sign off, we have broken down the latest Australian Bureau of Statistics data, which shows Western Australia has grown by 89,000 people in the past year – but without immigration, population growth would be at a crawl.

And bringing in workers from overseas to fill roles in traditionally male-dominated industries such as construction and mining may be behind a widening gender gap, with there currently about 12,434 more men than women in WA.

Read Claire Ottaviano and Sarah Brookes’ full report here.

Also making headlines today, crime reporter Rebecca Peppiatt revealed a Perth man who tried to convince a jury his partner of four years died after a knife that was holding up a curtain fell and accidently impaled her had been jailed for life.

And in politics, Minister Stephen Dawson called out the Curtin University students captured jeering at former Premier Mark McGowan during a campus visit, demanding institutions “clamp down” on such behaviour.

The former premier was branded a “murderer” and “torturer” as he was followed across the campus by several students chanting “f--- the ALP (Australian Labor Party)” in an incident on Wednesday, which was later circulated on social media.

Thanks again for joining us today. Enjoy your long weekend.

Be sure to tune in again next week for the latest headlines.

To an idea now for your long weekend plans.

Mount Hawthorn wine bar La Madonna Nera is a svelte dagger of a space whose timeless good looks speak to its owner’s past life as an architect and interior designer.

Owner Fiona Di Lanzo and her head chef Anthony Yuill – who’s back for his second tour of duty after helping open Bassendean small bar Bertie – have shoehorned many strong ideas into the carte’s dozen-or-so items including dishes that give vegetables their proper dues.

But the kitchen’s interest in underdog ingredients goes beyond just the plant-based.

And you’ll find more than 50 amari – the plural of amaro – at La Madonna Nera. If you’ve gone hard on the food and drink, you might feel like you’ll need the help of every one of them to get back on your feet.

You can read more about the dishes here. 

Returning to politics now, and Minister Stephen Dawson has called out the Curtin University students captured jeering at former Premier Mark McGowan during a campus visit, demanding institutions “clamp down” on such behaviour.

The former premier was branded a “murderer” and “torturer” as he was followed across the campus by several students chanting “f--- the ALP (Australian Labor Party)” in an incident on Wednesday, which was later circulated on social media.

Former WA Premier Mark McGowan was called a “murderer” by Curtin University students over his stance on Banksia Hill whilst in power.Credit: Holly Thompson/ Supplied

The footage showed McGowan being grilled about the death of a 17-year-old at the state’s notorious Banksia Hill Detention Centre.

During a press conference on Friday, Dawson said all people should be treated with respect and the conduct was ‘inappropriate’.

And he dismissed parallels drawn between the conduct and that of his colleagues during a week of particularly robust debate in parliament, which included outgoing Labor Party stalwart David Templeman referring to a Liberal candidate as a ‘dickhead’.

“I just think we have to clamp down on that kind of behaviour on campuses,” he said.

“I was a student politician and it’s fine to express a view, but I just think that language was inappropriate.

“We have to show respect, whether it’s an ex-premier or an ordinary West Australian. The language that was used in parliamentary debate was very different to the behaviour at Curtin University this week.”

It is understood the university is investigating the incident.

To some positive environment news now and behind the scenes at Perth Zoo, the latest cohort of endangered numbat joeys are lapping up the spring sunshine.

The marsupials were born through the collaborative breed-for-release program back in February and have been growing up under the watchful eye of Numbat mums Rio and Dora.

The numbat joeys, born the size of jellybeans, have emerged from their borrow for the first time.Credit: DBCA

They have now started to emerge from their burrows for the first time.

With less than 2000 of these iconic marsupials estimated remaining in the wild, every tiny individual born makes a huge impact on the conservation efforts.

Perth Zoo science staff work with other scientists in the DBCA’s biodiversity and conservation science branch, the Parks and Wildlife Service and with other partners including the Australian Wildlife Conservancy and interstate organisations to release zoo-born animals into wild habitat in WA and around Australia.

Perth Zoo is the only zoological institution in the world that breeds Numbats for release into the wild.

Since the first release of Perth Zoo-bred numbats into the wild in 1993, more than 300 numbats have been released into a safe habitat.

The success of Western Australia’s grain harvest hangs in the balance, as farmers anxiously await spring rains after a dry spell that could thwart hopes for high yields.

The Grain Industry Association of WA’s latest crop report, released on Friday, says the state’s crop was in good shape until recently and the potential tonnage was climbing “to a point where we were looking at a very good year”.

Grain yields have started to slide in many regions, with the large area of wheat the most affected.

But the complete lack of finishing rains has now put a question mark over that final amount.

The lack of finishing rains in September, combined with warm sunny days, has had crops digging deep for residual sub-soil moisture.

But moisture reserves are low due to below-average growing season rain for most regions.

There are still areas in the southern regions that can recover, only if they receive 20 millimetres of rain in the next two weeks.

“Without this, the total tonnage for the state could be closer to 15 million tonnes rather than 17 million tonnes as it stands now,” the report predicted.

“Without further rain in the next two weeks, the slide in tonnage will continue.”

AAP

Families will be urged to join the fight against the polyphagous shot-hole borer at the Perth Royal Show this year.

The shot hole borer has already caused thousands of trees to be felled.Credit: City of Vincent/Supplied

The state government is encouraging patrons to visit the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development display to get training to help identify and report the borer, before graduating as a certified ‘DPIRD Discoverer’.

Children can also participate in a ‘Where’s Poly?’ scavenger hunt to learn how to search for signs of shot-hole borer, including multiple entrance holes in tree trunks or branches, frass or sawdust, dieback and dark galleries.

Parents will be shown how to download the MyPestGuide Reporter app to report observations direct to the department.

Community surveillance has been essential to the success of the biosecurity response, with more than 3700 public reports of suspect sightings of the shot-hole borer received since it was first detected two-and-a-half years ago.

Public reports assist the department’s more than 150-strong response team, which has inspected more than two million trees to date.

Turning to local politics now, and City of Perth Lord Mayor Basil Zempilas has detailed what unfolded behind the scenes after audio was leaked of him interrupting a community meeting over reports of an intruder in Council House.

The intruder alert turned out to be a false alarm, but stopped a community meeting in its tracks.Credit: Marta Pascual Juanola

In an interview with 6PR’s Sean Cowan, the high-profile Seven West Media personality confirmed he had arrived at a meeting of the East Perth Community Group on Thursday afternoon flanked by police officers.

Earlier, up to 10 officers had asked Zempilas for directions after receiving a report of a man on the roof of the 13-storey building in the heart of Perth – later confirmed to be a false alarm.

An audio recording of the meeting, obtained and aired by 6PR radio, captured Zempilas entering the room and urging everyone to stay seated as police officers used the room to access the 11th floor.

Throughout the rest of his interview, Zempilas expressed concern about the state government’s plan to remove an urban wetland as part of a redevelopment of Perth’s Cultural Centre.

And he took a bizarre shot at outgoing Labor Party stalwart David Templeman for donning scarves, as he has done this week ahead of this weekend’s WAFL grand final, labelling it “tokenistic”.

Ferry commutes via the Swan River? Cable cars from Kings Park?

Independent advocacy body Committee for Perth has teamed up with Scitech to launch the Perth 2050 survey to gauge what Perth residents believe the city will need in the next 25 years.

Could more ferry routes in the Swan River be crucial for the city’s future? Credit: Tourism Australia

The anonymous responses will be compiled by futurist Ben Hamer to produce the Perth 2050 report, which will also be informed by input from business, government and academics.

While it may seem some time away, Committee for Perth chief executive Paula Rogers said it was the right time for Perth to get serious about planning for the city’s future.

“If you live in Perth and want it to be the most liveable place it can be, please complete the survey and contribute to our future planning and preparation,” she said.

Hamer said the report, which is expected to be released later this year, had the potential to be used to inform government policy, business strategy and community planning.

“We can’t afford to be passive because if we don’t plan for the future now, we risk inheriting a future designed for someone else,” he said.

“Together we really believe we can create a future for Perth that is vibrant, sustainable and inclusive.”

The survey closes at 5pm Thursday, September 26. 

A historic Cottesloe property will hit the market for the first time in nearly six decades and is expected to break WA’s land sale record by a mile.

Number 11 Pearse Street, near the ocean front, is set on 1181 square metres and is expected to sell for more than $20 million, delivering a state land price record of at least $16,934 per square metre.

The land for sale in Cottesloe. Credit: Space Real Estate

That will surpass the previous record – 22 Odern Crescent in Swanbourne – by nearly $2000 per square metre.

Space Real Estate director Justin Davies sold the previous record and will also sell 11 Pearse Street.

He said the property represented a rare opportunity and had already had property advisers suggest it was the best parcel of coastal land in WA.

“This property is second to none. It is hard to imagine there is another multi-site, landholding available in Cottesloe or Perth that is within a ‘stones throw’ to the ocean, overlooking a beautiful golf course and drenched in northern light,” he said.

In Cottesloe there are just 49 residential properties over 1100 square metres. Of that, there are only two that are north-facing, with ocean and parkland views, along with rear access. One of those properties is owned, while the other is also for sale.

Health Services Union WA members will go on strike on Friday, with their union representatives claiming ten months of negotiations had failed to produce a meaningful response from the state government that addressed deep-rooted workforce pressures in the public system.

A seven-day work ban has been put in place for pharmacists, pharmacy technicians and pharmacy assistants across a range of metropolitan and regional health centres.

Royal Perth Staff will take part in Friday’s protest, after taking part in action last week.Credit: HSUWA

Anaesthetic technicians at Armadale and Rockingham Hospital will go on a four-hour strike from 7.30am until 11.30am. The same strike will occur every morning next week at a different hospital each day, until September 30.

And a one-hour strike at Armadale and Rockingham Hospital will be held for medical imaging technologists, 8.30am to 9.30am today.

Union secretary Naomi McCrae said these members would undoubtably be financially better off in the private sector, but had chosen to remain in the public system.

Accusations made by Health this week that HSUWA members would be anything but completely dedicated to the delivery of safe, high-quality and sustainable health care ... is offensive and insulting.

This is the perfect illustration of just how disconnected Health is from its increasingly disheartened workforce.

Western Australians deserve the best in public health care, but without overdue reforms and better conditions and pay to make up for some of the huge losses to real wages experienced over recent years, public health will remain an uncompetitive and unattractive career option.