As it happened: WA news on Thursday, September 5

Good afternoon readers, and thanks for following along on a busy news day.

We’ll be back in the morning with the last live blog of the week!

Stay dry.

Up to 300 jobs could be affected as US-based lithium producer Arcadium Lithium announced it would place its Mt Cattlin mine near Ravensthorpe in the Great Southern into care and maintenance next year.

Arcadium president and chief executive Paul Graves said:

Unfortunately, production at Mt Cattlin beyond the current stage of the open pit cannot be justified in the current price environment for spodumene. We will maintain open and transparent dialogue with all of our stakeholders while supporting our employees and communities in Western Australia during this transition period.

The mine will shut down after the current stage of mining and spodumene processing is complete by next June.

The decision is another blow to WA’s critical minerals sector after over supply of both lithium and nickel has closed several mines in the state.

The nearby First Quantum nickel mine shut down earlier this year.

Member for Roe Peter Rundle said the shutdown was a devastating blow to the community and could affect up to 300 jobs.

He said the state government needed to step in and help communities like Ravensthorpe and Hopetoun:

While the state government has invested heavily in helping the Labor heartland of Collie transition away from coal, it’s clear that regions like Ravensthorpe and Hopetoun are being left behind. We need that same level of support and funding to help these communities diversify and build resilience.

Hail is exciting for everyone, and that’s why we’re showing you these pics.

We’ve got reports so far of hail in Hilton, Stratton, Darlington and Booragoon.

Hail in Hilton.Credit: Cameron Myles

Hail in Hilton.Credit: Cameron Myles

Thanks to Mel for this pic from Ardross/Booragoon.

Hail in Booragoon.

Environmental news is running hot across the state and the nation this week.

On Monday we reported federal Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek was blaming the Greens for stalling in the senate a new national environment law to create a stand-alone federal Environment Protection Agency (the Coalition is also opposing the law).

The dusky sea snake just wants a quiet life but is at the centre of a multibillion-dollar battle.Credit: Chris Malam.

Today we report WA Premier Roger Cook has welcomed news the federal government is willing to scale back the stalled law, which has drawn the ire of the state’s miners, saying he believed they could feel WA coming “en masse”.

Cook told a Perth business breakfast this morning he was pleased to hear Prime Minister Anthony Albanese indicating openness to a compromise with the Coalition that would strip the new EPA of decisionmaking powers.

On top of this, we’ve just reported that the dusky sea snake has been listed as endangered as protests mount over Woodside’s $30 billion-plus Browse gas export project, which is looming over its habitat.

Greenpeace Australia Pacific head of climate and energy Joe Rafalowicz said the stalling of the nature law meant Woodside could get away with drilling for gas in critical habitat for the sea snake, as the species was listed after Woodside’s approval document was submitted.

“Minister Plibersek’s commitment to ‘no more extinctions’ under this government will ring hollow if she does not immediately follow her own department’s advice to protect Scott Reef,” he said.

A 16-year-old Dalkeith schoolboy charged over allegedly making and selling cannabis confectionery had his matter heard in Perth Children’s Court today.

The lollies.Credit: WA Police

The youth did not appear in person, with his lawyer Paul Yovich appearing on his behalf, asking the court for an adjournment.

Yovich is a prominent Perth lawyer who has defended Claremont serial killer Bradley Robert Edwards and social media giant Meta in its battle with billionaire Andrew Forrest.

Police allege he sold the lollies to a western suburbs student, leading to two 16-year-olds requiring hospitalisation.

Police searched his home last month and later charged him with selling a prohibited drug, possessing drugs, preparing a drug for use, unlawful possession of a prescription drug, possession of drug paraphernalia and three counts of possession of a prohibited drug.

On Thursday Yovich handed Children’s Court magistrate Alana Padmanabham a medical certificate and requested the media not report on the boy’s next court date for fear of it leading to his identification.

He will be back in court next month.

Anglers can now catch legal-size yellowtail kingfish off the Perth coast as a four-year restocking program draws to a close.

Fisheries staff released the final 15,000 fingerlings (apparently a name for a juvenile fish, as well as a small potato, carrot or a scary electronic toy found at Kmart) into the water at Fremantle Sailing Club this morning.

Since 2020 about 150,000 fingerlings (of the fish variety) have been released into Perth waters and Fisheries minister Don Punch said fishers should now be catching legal-size fish at hotspots like Three Mile Reef off the Perth coast.

Yellowtail kingfish are a fast-growing fish that take about 18 months to reach their legal size limit, making them ideal for restocking.

The restocking program was paid for through the recreational fishing initiatives fund which is supported by fishing licence fees.

Five new council areas have been added to the quarantine zone attempting to contain the pest destroying some of the most beloved parks and streetscapes in a city with an already-somewhat-woeful tree canopy.

Effective tomorrow, the polyphagous shot-hole borer quarantine zone now includes Armadale, Kwinana, Mundaring, Rockingham and Serpentine Jarrahdale and captures the entire Perth metropolitan area with 30 local governments.

The quarantine area for polyphagous shot-hole borer has been expanded to cover the entire Perth metropolitan area and now includes two zones to help contain the spread of the destructive pest.

The aim is to create a buffer zone between areas with higher infestations and the rest of the state.

This expanded zone has fewer or no infested trees and heightened surveillance is under way to identify and quickly control new infestations.

PSHB has not been detected outside the metro area, despite a scare about the Shire of Harvey recently that turned out to be a false alarm (and a political minefield).

Trapping and monitoring is ongoing in regional areas, however.

The expanded Perth metro quarantine area is now divided into two zones with rules for each.

The quarantine measures are fundamental to the ongoing national eradication response managed by the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development.

DPIRD chief plant biosecurity officer Vincent Lanoiselet thanked the Perth community for doing their part.

“As the weather warms, we urge everyone to check their trees for signs of the borer, particularly those host trees at highest risk such as box elder maples, coral trees, Moreton Bay and Port Jackson figs and London plane trees,” he said.

“Signs of borer activity include tiny holes the size of a ballpoint pen in the tree trunk or branches, staining or discolouration of the wood, gumming and frass, as well as signs of dieback in the tree.”

Any suspected signs of PSHB damage should be reported via the MyPestGuide® Reporter app, 9368 3080 or [e-mail].

More info: agric.wa.gov.au/borer

The rules

Quarantine Area Zone A (more infested);

• cannot move untreated or unseasoned wood outside Zone A, unless in 2.5-centimetre or smaller chips;
• cannot move plant materials, including living plants, greater than 2-centimetre diameter outside Zone A;
• must ensure any machinery used to handle green waste is cleaned before it can be moved outside Zone A.

Zone B acts as a ‘buffer zone’ with fewer or no infested trees. DPIRD is undertaking increased surveillance in Zone B and will respond rapidly to any new detection in that area, as early detection is vital to the eradication effort.

Zone B:

• cannot move untreated or unseasoned wood outside the Quarantine Area, unless in 2.5-centimetre or smaller chips;
• cannot move plant materials, including living plants, greater than 2-centimetre diameter outside quarantine area;
• can move wood or plant materials, including living plants, into Zone A;
• must ensure any machinery used to handle green waste is cleaned before it can be moved outside the quarantine area.

Lawn clippings and grasses are not affected.

Can’t meet the requirements? Contact DPIRD to obtain a permit.

The parents of two WA brothers killed while on a surfing trip in Mexico intend to start a foundation in their honour, four months on from the tragedy.

Debra and Martin Robinson told 9 News Perth they would use the money the community has raised – nearly half a million dollars – to set up charity funds in Australia and America in honour of their sons Jake and Callum.

Martin said it was an amount of money that could make a difference in people’s lives.

The charity will help aspiring medical professionals (in honour of Jake, who was a doctor) and aspiring sportspeople (for Callum, a lacrosse player).

“They really encouraged a lot of people,” Debra said. “We are hoping that the money can be used to encourage other people to pursue what they need to pursue, and do good things in the world.”

It’s hoped donations will keep coming in, and the parents say they will organise fundraising events in the future.

Martin said, as all parents do, they had dreamed of a good life for their boys that would never eventuate.

“We have to readjust to the fact that we don’t have a family anymore,” he said.

To some breaking news now, and Premier Roger Cook has announced the state will bankroll a $30 million venture capital initiative in a bid to support locally based start-ups to scale up.

The initiative is expected to operate via a ‘Fund of Funds’ model, with the state investing in venture capital firms to leverage funding for WA-based start-ups.

Cook told a Chamber of Commerce and Industry breakfast on Thursday it was vital WA grew its economy in “any way possible” after data released on Wednesday showed Australia’s economic growth had slowed “to a trickle”.

While WA’s domestic economy grew 5.3 per cent last financial year, figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics showed annual growth was down to just 1.5 per cent.

Cook said while the government was embarking on reforms aimed at slashing green tape and supporting the state’s resources industry, it was also conscious of the need to diversify an economy heavily reliant on iron ore mining.

And he told the breakfast the initiative had the potential to provide start-ups with the guidance needed to compete internationally and provide thousands of new, locally based jobs.

“It blows my mind that a place like WA does not have enough of an early-stage venture capital industry,” he said.

“Our venture capital ecosystem ranked second last in the country, and we received just two per cent of the national investment share.

“Start-ups are proven job creators, capable of adding thousands of new jobs to our economy – we just need to create the environment in which they can thrive.”

Funding in Australian start-ups almost halved between 2022 and 2023 to $3.5 billion across more than 400 businesses, according to the annual State of Australian Startup Funding Report.

It’s definitely cold outside – Perth is today the nation’s coldest city, with the mercury expected to hit just 16 degrees.

Perth recorded 14 millilitres of rain since 9pm, South Perth recorded 26mm in the rain gauge while Bickley recorded the highest rainfall total of 46mm.

Perth experienced a cold snap overnight, expected to continue today. Credit: Nine News Perth

Bureau of Meteorology meteorologist Helen Reid said the weather wasn’t unusual for this time of year.

“It seems unusual because we did have that break from the winter cold fronts going through, and we thought, oh yes, spring is here, but this front reminds us that winter hasn’t finished yet,” she said.

“It is cold, there may be flurry of snow on Bluff Knoll this afternoon which is unusual, that usually only happens once or twice a year.”

The lowest recorded daytime temperature for Perth in September was 13.5 degrees in 1999.

Showers are expected throughout the morning with possible hail and the chance of a thunderstorm in the morning and early afternoon. A strong wind warning is in place for Perth.

Much of Western Australia has a 60-80 per cent chance of below-average rainfall this spring, long-range forecasts released last week.