As it happened: WA news on Tuesday, March 25

Things are heating up in Canberra, as Treasurer Jim Chalmers hands down a budget he hopes will win Labor the election.

So, on that note, we’re bringing our live blog to a close for the day, and pointing you in the direction of our budget live blog, where you can currently watch Chalmers hand down the budget in parliament.

Want a five-minute guide to the essentials? Check out our easily digestible breakdown of the budget here.

Are you a winner or a loser under this year’s budget? Paul Sakkal has the answer to that question. Check out his article on the budget winners and losers here.

Thank you for tuning in today, we’ll see you again tomorrow for more news you need to know, including the fallout from the federal budget, and what it means for Western Australia.

A prisoner at the state’s largest remand facility has ended up in hospital with the measles, prompting a public health warning.

WA Health said the inmate was currently receiving treatment in a metropolitan hospital and both them and the Department of Justice were working to identify which staff and prisoners may have been exposed to the disease.

“This includes contact tracing those within the facility and anyone who has since been discharged, as well as supporting Justice Health to offer vaccines to prisoners and staff who aren’t already protected against measles,” Communicable Disease Control assistant director Jelena Maticevic said.

Anyone who visited Hakea Prison between March 16 to March 21 was urged to check their measles immunisation record.

Early symptoms include fever, cough, runny nose, and sore eyes, followed by a red blotchy non-itchy rash three or four days later, which usually starts on the face and spreads to the rest of the body.

WA Health said anyone who has visited the prison during the dates stated should seek medical care over the next two weeks by calling ahead to alert them they suspect they may have measles.

Measles is highly contagious but is less able to spread among people who are vaccinated against it.

“The current focus is to prevent additional cases, as well as to promptly identify any new cases,” Maticevic said.

Treasurer Jim Chalmers is handing down his fourth federal budget today, as the government prepares to call a May election.

The federal budget will be handed down this evening.Credit: Marija Ercegovac

Want to keep on top of all the latest budget news? We’ve got a live blog for that.

You can check it out here.

The budget papers are officially released at 4.30pm (7.30pm AEDT), when Chalmers will deliver the budget address in the House of Representatives.

There’ll be plenty of reaction afterwards, with Chalmers appearing on the ABC’s 7.30, as well as Nine’s budget special.

Stay tuned, budget wonks!

WA Labor hasn’t wasted any time poking a bit of fun at the WA Liberals after they announced their new leader.

A flotilla of six warships and a submarine accompanied by New Zealand and Australian Air Force assets are taking part in the biggest anti-submarine war games in recent years off the West Australian coast.

Royal Australian Navy frigates alongside HMAS Stirling in Rockingham.Credit: Navy Imagery Unit

The 2025 anti-submarine warfighting exercise launched from HMAS Stirling south of Perth on Tuesday morning.

Read all about it here.

Basil Zempilas has revealed his employment with media giant Seven West Media ceased earlier this month after being grilled on the nature of his relationship with its major shareholder Kerry Stokes and fellow billionaire Gina Rinehart.

The prominent media personality, who began his broadcast career with Seven West more than 30 years ago, confirmed he was no longer on the company’s payroll.

Zempilas confirmed he is not on the Seven West payroll. Credit: Colin Murty

But he would continue to pen the weekly column he has authored for The West Australian since 2019, and which drew the ire of those in WA Labor’s ranks as it progressively became more political.

Zempilas pointed out deputy premier Rita Saffioti also had a regular column, but he said there would be no fee.

When quizzed by our political reporter Hamish Hastie about his relationships with media mogul Kerry Stokes and Rinehart – who he has previously emceed events for – and whether they would have any bearing on his new role, Zempilas said: “None. Kerry Stokes was the major shareholder and owner [of Seven West Media] for almost all of the time I was employed there.

“It was an employer/employee relationship, and I don’t expect anything from that relationship will enter into my new role.

“To describe it as anything other than that would be inaccurate.”

Zempilas’ relationship with the media empire and its billionaire owner has long been a topic of discussion.

The Churchlands MP confirmed speculation about his bid for higher office with The West Australian in January 2024, revealing he first discussed the idea with Stokes after the company’s annual charity event Telethon in October 2023.

But he told Hastie he did not converse with Stokes about his tilt for the leadership.

In December, the Independent Media Council upheld three complaints from Zempilas’ mayoral opponent Sandy Anghie against Seven West Media, which was found to have given her unfair and imbalanced coverage during the City of Perth election.

And newly-elected Liberal leader Basil Zempilas has begun his time at the helm by lavishing his predecessor Libby Mettam in praise, hailing her efforts “incredibly stoic” and expressing appreciation for the fact she would stand alongside him as part of the leadership team.

Fronting the media outside Parliament House following a meeting where he was rubber-stamped as leader, the former Seven West Media personality said Mettam had been an inspiration, especially for candidates at the poll in which he was elected to the seat of Churchlands.

Zempilas is now opposition and Liberal Party leader.Credit: Hamish Hastie

“We are so pleased you are part of the leadership team as the reset of the Liberal Party begins,” Zempilas said.

“The road to 2029 begins today.”

The former lord mayor of Perth vowed to lead a party that would put the interests of Western Australians first, champion integrity in parliament, target “wasteful” government spending and improve housing affordability.

Zempilas’ appointment comes just days after Mettam resigned following the party’s second-worst election result.

In a statement, Mettam said she wanted to continue as leader but did not have the support of the party room.

She dubbed the leadership speculation that plagued the party in November a contributing factor in the election outcome, which was sparked by leaked polling that suggested Zempilas being elected leader would lead to better results at the ballot box.

The poll prompted a leadership challenge, and was later revealed to have been facilitated by Zempilas’ ex-campaign manager Cam Sinclair.

It’s official, former Perth Lord Mayor turned Churchlands MP Basil Zempilas has been elected leader of the WA Liberals and opposition leader.

Zempilas was rubber-stamped as leader at a party room meeting at Parliament House on Tuesday morning.

Sticking with the WA Liberals leadership challenge, most MPs have made their way into parliament to rubber stamp Basil Zempilas as opposition leader.

WAtoday caught most of them going in. Here’s what they had to say:

Jonathan Huston, new Nedlands MP: “No comment”.

Sandra Brewer, new Cottesloe MP: “I think it’s worked out for the best. I think talking to my colleagues, people are really optimistic about the future. This is a fresh start, and I think the voters of WA expressed that they were ready for a change to the Liberal team.”

New Cottesloe Liberal MP Sandra Brewer.Credit: Hamish Hastie

Adam Hort, new Kalamunda MP: “One thing that was very clear to me in the Perth Hills was community and getting back to basics of political representation, we’re not all politicians, we’re parliamentarians, and we have a responsibility to represent the places that elected us.”

Liam Staltari, new Carine MP: “This is an exciting opportunity for our party to start a new chapter, to reset and to bring some really exciting new energy forward.”

New Carine MP Liam Staltari.Credit: Hamish Hastie

David Bolt, new Murray Wellington MP: “It’s a great team, excited to be here, and we’re looking forward to the future. We’re all new, but we’re going to learn quickly. I’m going to take it up to the government very quickly, and I think they’ll be surprised how good we are.”

Steve Thomas, Upper House MP: “I want to see a seismic shift in the way the Liberal Party does business in Western Australia ... I hope Basil can deliver that. Certainly he’s got the support of the group to deliver exactly that.”

Nick Goiran, Upper House MP: “I’d like to think that Basil, myself and every member of the incoming Liberal team will want to hold [Labor] to account and say enough is enough.”

Peter Collier, retiring Upper House MP (after getting a selfie in front of the press pack): “In opposition, we’re not flash ... I’ve supported every leader I’ve served under, and I think that’s important. That’s one thing the Labor Party to actually do well, in terms of the fact that they do unify behind the leader, and that’s something that we can learn from.”

Retiring Liberal Upper house MP Peter Collier.Credit: Hamish Hastie

There’s no doubt it has been an abnormally hot March.

Sherri-Lee Biggs explained the sea breeze capped Perth’s temperature at 40.1C just before 2pm yesterday, making it the hottest day recorded this late in the season.

The two previous records both fell on the 23rd of the month, the last being 20 years ago and the one before that, over a century ago.

Sherri-Lee Biggs on Nine News Perth. Credit: Nine News Perth

The last time Perth experienced two days of 40C or over in March was almost 13 years ago, back in 2012.

Perth is on track to record five days in March over 35 degrees, which would make it the longest late season hot spell since 1985.