Good evening readers, and thanks for joining our live blog once again.
For the news junkies among you, Jesinta Burton is about to publish on the main site a full-length rundown on the Linda Reynolds defamation case hearing below.
We’ll also have another exciting story up after 6pm.
And of course, the live blog will be back bright and early tomorrow!
See you then.
Former prime minister Scott Morrison has been named among the high-profile witnesses called to give evidence in WA Liberal Senator Linda Reynolds’ high-stakes defamation trial against former staffer Brittany Higgins.
On Tuesday, the WA Supreme Court was told Morrison had filed and signed a witness outline ahead of the defamation trial to commence in late July.
The court was told the bundle of evidence adduced by Reynolds’ legal team would also contain sworn testimony from WA Senator Michaelia Cash and her former chief of staff.
Cash’s attendance in-person will hinge on parliamentary sitting dates, with Higgins’ lawyers continuing a push to delay the slated July 24 start date to accommodate new WA-based counsel.
Outside court, Reynolds’ lawyer Martin Bennett told the waiting press pack Morrison was expected to be overseas at the time of the trial, but was prepared to give evidence remotely if required.
And Reynolds, who made a surprise appearance at court, mentioned Morrison by name while sharing her gratitude to her former parliamentary colleagues for their support.
In 2021, Higgins alleged she was raped in Reynolds’ parliamentary office by her colleague Bruce Lehrmann – a claim Lehrmann has long denied. Lehrmann is appealing a decision by Federal Court Justice Michael Lee in an April 2024 civil defamation case that, on the balance of probabilities, he did rape Higgins. A rape charge against him was withdrawn in after his 2022 criminal trial was aborted due to juror misconduct.
Reynolds, the former boss of Lehrmann and Higgins, has faced years of criticism over her handling of Higgins’ rape allegation.
The senator said the ongoing fallout had a significant impact on her and others, with her medical professionals among those expected to take the witness stand.
“I need to clear my name finally, after well over three years… so many people have been so damaged by this,” she said.
An Australian-first study by WA’s University of Notre Dame has revealed medical specialists who are given the chance to train in rural areas are three times more likely to work away from the city after graduation.
The findings come amid a critical shortage of doctors in rural, regional and remote areas.
The study found about 30 per cent of general practitioners – a specialty that gives doctors the opportunity to do most of their training in rural areas – were practicing in the country 10 years into their careers.
But only 10 per cent of other medical specialists who train mostly in the city, such as psychiatrists or pediatricians, and 15 per cent of surgical specialists ended up in non-metropolitan areas.
Currently, there are seven times fewer specialists in remote areas than in metropolitan areas.
We’re outside the WA Supreme Court now, where Liberal Senator Linda Reynolds has just made a surprise appearance ahead of a directions hearing in her high-stakes defamation row with former staffer Brittany Higgins.
During the last hearing, Higgins’ lawyers sought to delay the beginning of the six-week trial slated for July 24 after her fiancée David Sharaz formally bowed out of the proceedings.
Senator Linda Reynolds arriving in court with her lawyer, Martin Bennett.Credit: Jesinta Burton
That matter is expected to be settled during this afternoon’s court hearing.
Reynolds’ lawyer Martin Bennett had also previously alleged Higgins’ evidence was incomplete and demanded a second document swap.
Reynolds launched legal action against the former staffer in 2023 over several social media posts she claimed were defamatory of her and constituted a breach of a deed of settlement and release the pair signed in March 2021.
The case came just months after Reynolds launched an almost identical lawsuit against Sharaz.
The pair had been defending the two defamation cases – which have been heard together due to their overlap – until last month, when Sharaz took to social media saying he could no longer afford to fight the action and insisted it was time to let Higgins heal.
West Coast captain Oscar Allen has declared he’s ready to return for their AFL clash with Essendon – if coach Adam Simpson picks him.
And in another dose of good news, star midfielder Elliot Yeo is expected to turn his back on free agency and re-sign with the Eagles.
Oscar Allen of the Eagles.Credit: Getty
Allen, West Coast’s sole shining light in attack last year, featured in the round-one loss to Port Adelaide but has been sidelined ever since after undergoing surgery on his right knee.
The 25-year-old will return to the field this weekend. Whether at WAFL or AFL level remains to be seen but his words today suggest he will be lining up against Essendon at Marvel Stadium on Sunday.
He said his knee was “completely healed” and he had “100 per cent confidence” in it.
“I think I’m ready to go,” Allen said.
“I’ve still got to get through training [on Thursday], and like everyone else see if Simmo picks me or not.”
Yeo, an unrestricted free agent, is being heavily chased by rival clubs, but is set to sign a fresh three-year deal with West Coast, telling 96FM “[Communication] is open now, and hopefully we can come to an agreement.”
Back to Chinese Premier Li Qiang’s visit to Perth, and the senior Beijing official has declared his trip to Australia a success, insisting China stood ready to work with Australia to build a comprehensive strategic partnership that was more “mature, stable, and fruitful”.
Li told more than 250 guests at a banquet at The Westin, hosted by the WA Chinese Chamber of Commerce, the two countries had reached a consensus on outstanding issues and inked multiple cooperation documents, canvassing everything from economy, trade and science, to education and tourism.
Guests greeted with Western Rock Lobster entrées had anticipated Li might also announce an end to the three-year rock lobster trade ban, but no announcement was forthcoming.
Lobster entrées at the Westin Hotel.
“In line with seeking common ground, the China-Australia relationship has been expanded and deepened and the positive momentum of the complete turnaround of Chinese-Australian relations has been consolidated,“Li said, according to a translator.
“During the visit, I have heard from federal, state and local politicians, the opposition, entrepreneurs and the general public, and they have conveyed the same message: efforts should be made to carry forward the China-Australia relationship from generation to generation.”
The Chinese Premier said the two countries had also agreed to provide multiple entry visas for reciprocal visits to promote business and family visits, including for the 1.4 million Australians of Chinese ancestry – 116,000 of which live in WA, accounting for 4.4 per cent of the population.
Billionaire media mogul Kerry Stokes and his son Ryan were among those in attendance at the event, as well as CBH Group boss Ben Macnamara, Perth Lord Mayor and Seven West Media personality Basil Zempilas and several federal and state parliamentarians.
The who’s who of Western Australia’s major industries have just attended the Seventh Australia-China CEO Roundtable Meeting, hosted by Chinese Premier Li Qiang along with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and WA Premier Roger Cook.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Chinese Premier Li Qaing, WA Premier Roger Cook, and guests at the Australia-China roundtable meeting. Credit: Michael Genovese
Among the guests were mining billionaire Andrew Forrest, former treasurer-turned-Woodside board member, Ben Wyatt, and Wesfarmers managing director Rob Scott.
The group met at Kings Park, accompanied by a significant security presence including the WA Police canine squad, mounted police and dignitary protection.
A man has just been sentenced in the WA Supreme Court to life in prison for the violent murder of his partner after a birthday meth binge turned fatal.
Julian Pau, 43, sat with his head in his hands this morning as state prosecutor Brett Tooker read out details of the events leading up to the moment he stabbed Vitorina Bruce, 40, multiple times in a Perth hotel in November 2022.
Vitorina Bruce, 40, was stabbed to death at the Quality Hotel Ambassador Perth.
Pau, who admitted he was responsible for the woman’s death, was seen by guests at the hotel stabbing Bruce after he chased her out of a hotel room.
The court was told he met the Fijian mother of five while working at a hotel in Newman and the pair planned a trip to Perth for his 42nd birthday.
On the day Bruce died, Pau was found to have been consuming methamphetamine that caused a psychotic episode.
He had a lengthy criminal history, the court was told, that included family violence toward two former partners in Queensland.
Perth’s golden triangle enjoyed a surge in income out of the pandemic, taking Peppermint Grove to the second highest-paid part of Australia.
But figures from the Australian Taxation Office reveal the small community of Yerecoin in the state’s Wheatbelt enjoyed a windfall off the back of a good growing season which catapulted it into the 10 best paid parts of WA.
See the top ten average income suburbs below:
Heightened security surrounding the visit of Chinese Premier Li Qiang is causing a traffic nightmare in the CBD and West Perth this morning.
Traffic westbound into the city on St George’s Terrace is at a standstill, with some commuters choosing to get out of the car and walk.
Traffic on St George’s Terrace this morning. Credit: WAtoday
Even the state’s cop top is not immune to the roadblocks, with Police Commissioner Col Blanch forced to call in for his regular radio segment with Radio 6PR from his car after failing to make it to the East Perth studios in time.
“It appears my own people have made sure there is free passage for some visiting dignitaries, and I’ve been caught in the traffic,” he said.
He said both federal and state police were assisting with a large security operation.
“A large WA Police team out there this morning is just making sure there’s no issues, and it’s all going well,” he said.
The leader’s motorcade is expected to be travelling along the freeway and through the CBD this morning for several events.