As it happened: WA news on Thursday, October 31

We’re bringing our blog to a close now, folks. Thank you for joining us.

Here’s a recap of some of the headlines we brought you earlier.

We started the day with news that Gina Rinehart’s Hancock Prospecting empire had inked a $1.1 billion deal to acquire embattled miner Mineral Resources’ Lockyer gas project and half of its remaining onshore assets in WA.

A few hours later, Rinehart was in the headlines again, this time because opposition leader Peter Dutton was facing a barrage of questions during his trip to Perth regarding travel bankrolled by the billionaire’s investment vehicle.

Dutton took aim at Prime Minister Anthony Albanese over his travel after claims he personally contacted then-Qantas boss Alan Joyce for upgrades, but deflected questions about the travel history of his Coalition colleague Bridget McKenzie and his own.

He confirmed Hancock Prospecting paid for his trip to a Bali memorial service in Queensland, but denied there was any conflict of interest.

And that’s it for “nangs”. The state’s ban on the sale of nitrous oxide canisters – colloquially known as “nangs” – came into effect today, which will now only be available to registered food outlets and businesses that hold a liquor licence.

Surf Life Saving WA resisted pressure to sever ties with energy giant Woodside over environmental concerns, confirming this afternoon that the pair had extended their decade-long sponsorship deal.

And WA’s top road cop issued a plea to young drivers to slow down after two P-Platers lost their licences in separate incidents over two days for driving nearly 100 kilometres over the speed limit.

Thank you again for joining us, and happy Trick-or-treating to those who partake.

Be sure to tune in again tomorrow for all the latest headlines.

And in other news, the burgeoning investment empire of Australia’s richest person Gina Rinehart has recorded a profit of more than $5 billion, underpinned by record shipments from her lucrative iron ore assets.

Hancock Prospecting posted a net-profit after tax of $5.56 billion in the 2024 financial year, up more than 10 per cent on FY2023, after revenue hit $14.7 billion.

The surplus is one of the largest recorded by the company, exceeded only by the whopping $7.3 billion it reported in 2021 and just a fraction below the $5.8 billion in 2022.

The investment vehicle, which has assets spanning mining, agriculture and retail, shelled out $3.9 billion in taxes in the year to June — making it one of the nation’s most significant corporate taxpayers.

Hancock Prospecting’s three major iron ore operations shipped 96 million tonnes over the course of the financial year, with mining giant Roy Hill’s windfall accounting for more than half of Hancock Prospecting’s bumper profit.

Revenue was down for its agricultural arm amid falling cattle prices.

The financial report was lodged with the corporate regulator just hours after the company announced it had inked a $1.1 billion deal to acquire Mineral Resources’ Lockyer gas project and half of its remaining onshore assets in WA.

WA’s top road cop has issued a plea to young drivers to slow down after two P-Platers lost their licences in separate incidents over two days for driving nearly 100 kilometres over the speed limit.

On Tuesday Police clocked a 17-year-old man from Kardinya allegedly travelling at 94 kilometres above the 100 kmh speed limit on Tonkin Highway near Perth Airport in his BMW.

His car, which he had only owned for a week, was impounded, and he was charged with reckless driving.

On Wednesday night Police Airwing intercepted a blue Subaru Impreza allegedly travelling about 200 kmh in a 100 zone on Mitchell Freeway in Osborne Park.

The 18-year-old Wanneroo driver was stopped shortly later by police on the ground, and he was also charged with reckless driving.

Speaking from AAAC Towing’s impound lot in Welshpool – where the two cars now sit – road policing Commander Mike Bell made an impassioned plea to drivers to slow down.

“It beggars belief why you would travel so fast on that road, we know that if you hit a solid object 50 kilometres or more, it increases your risk of being killed or seriously injured.

“Had they crashed, had they got a blowout, had they hit an object, this would have been another fatality. I’m sure of it.

“We would have been knocking on some other parent’s door to tell them they’ve lost their child.”

Bell revealed that last month in WA, 56 people were charged with driving exceeding 40 kilometres over the speed limit.

He also detailed another reckless driving incident in June that involved a 76-year-old man driving a Lamborghini Gallardo.

The Lamborghini was captured by a speed camera travelling 194 kmh in a 100 zone on Great Southern Highway in Woottating.

He was charged with one count of reckless driving with a speed of 155 kilometres an hour or more.

He received a disqualified licence, fine and the Lamborghini was impounded for three months.

Police applied to permanently seize the Lamborghini but were unsuccessful.

To health news now, and the Australian Medical Association has released a new “report card” on mental health presentations in public hospitals across the nation.

In Western Australia, despite the number of mental health presentations to emergency departments falling over the past three years, the rate per 10,000 people has risen by almost 250 per cent over two decades.

“At 125 presentations per 10k in 2022-23, Western Australians are presenting to ED with a mental health illness at the third-highest rate in the country, signalling a concerning rise in unmet mental illness within the Western Australian population,” the AMA wrote.

Mental health presentations to WA hospitals from 2005-6 to 2022-23.Credit: AMA

WA had also seen a “worrying and consistent” increase in the median time mental health patients spent in emergency departments, and 10 per cent of patients were waiting 19 hours in “overcrowded and stressful” emergency departments.

“WA has been consistently increasing the number of specialised mental health public hospital beds for the past 10 years, with the total number of public sector specialised mental health hospital beds increasing from 670 to 799 since 2007–08,” the report read.

“However, this increase has been not kept up with the pace of an increasing population, with the number of mental health beds available per 100,000 West Australians falling from 30.9 to 28.6 over the same period.”

Two former Liberal prime ministers and two former Liberal premiers will be wheeled out for a swanky 80th anniversary gala fundraising dinner for the party at Crown Perth tonight.

WAtoday has obtained a copy of the gala invite on the Halloween evening, which features former prime ministers John Howard and Tony Abbott, as well as former WA Liberal premiers Richard Court and Colin Barnett as special guests.

The event will also feature WA Liberal leader Libby Mettam and federal opposition leader Peter Dutton, who has been in Perth for the past two days.

Attendees are being slugged $1000 per ‘gold’-level ticket for the privilege of meeting their political heroes while those opting for a ‘silver’ level will pay $500 and ‘bronze’ will cost $250.

The Liberals have embarked in a significant fundraising campaign in WA as they look to wrestle back control from Labor at both the state and federal elections next year.

However, a quick search of the WA Electoral Commission’s donation register this year suggests they have their work cut out for them.

So far this year Labor, through party membership fees and donations to the party and its business entity Perth Trades Hall, has raked in $1.76 million.

The Liberals are trailing at $1.13 million.

And in other news, Surf Life Saving WA and energy giant Woodside have confirmed the extension of their decade-long sponsorship deal, despite increasing pressure to sever ties over its continued expansion of fossil fuel projects.

In a statement released on Thursday, SLSWA confirmed Woodside would continue to help bankroll its Lifesaver Safety Program and retain its position as the naming rights sponsor of the Nippers and Jet Ski Programs, as well as maintenance and replacement of essential equipment.

SLSWA president Heidi Gan said the company had been a valued partner of the club for many years, and that it was “thrilled” to continue the lucrative partnership.

The announcement comes after several years of conservation groups and parents calling on Surf Life Saving WA to dump the sponsorship deal, accusing it of using “children as billboards”.

The Fremantle Dockers faced a similar campaign over its 14-year Woodside sponsorship, but ultimately ruled to extend the deal until September 2025.

It has been almost a year since Fringe World organiser Artrage confirmed it had severed ties with Woodside after a four-year campaign by artists for a “fossil-free festival”.

To breaking news now, and a man believed to be in his 30s has been hit by a car while cycling along a main road in Perth’s north on Thursday afternoon.

The man was hit on Dianella Drive in Dianella, near Cottonwood Crescent.

A St John Ambulance spokesman said paramedics and police remained on scene, but would likely take the man to Royal Perth Hospital.

It is believed the injuries are not life-threatening but are on the more serious side. The extent of those injuries are not yet known.

More to come.

In business news, David Tsai – who led Crown Perth from the end of 2022 – has been elevated to the casino and resort group’s top job.

The company announced Tsai was being appointed to chief executive officer, subject to regulatory approvals, on Thursday morning.

New Crown Resorts CEO David Tsai.Credit: Crown Resorts

Tsai has been acting in the role since the departure of Ciaran Carruthers in August this year following a tumultuous two years at the helm of the Blackstone-owned group which won back control of its Sydney and Melbourne casino licences on his watch.

Crown Resorts chairman, John Borghetti said: “David is well positioned to lead the continued transformation, growth and future success of Crown’s business”.

Tsai joined Crown Resorts as chief executive of its Perth resort in December 2022 with a background that includes 15 years at casino resort giant, MGM Resorts International.

Tsai said he looked forward to leading Crown through its next phase of transformation.

“With the support of our talented and committed team, our goal is for Crown Resorts to be the ultimate entertainment destination in each of our cities, positioning Crown to thrive long into the future,” he said.

In May, WAtoday managed to take a few minutes from Tsai’s schedule to find out the three things he loves about his new home. Read his responses here.

In court news, a Mandurah man charged with the murder of his elderly father in 2020 has been found not guilty due to mental impairment.

Declan Sean Thomas admitted he hit his father Edward in the back of the head with a frying pan before putting him in a chokehold and cutting his throat with a kitchen knife inside his Mandurah unit. However, he pleaded not guilty to murder, arguing he was of unsound mind.

In handing down her judgement in WA’s Supreme Court on Thursday, Justice Fiona Seaward said on the balance of probabilities, Thomas, 35, was suffering from mental impairment at the time of the offence, and could not be found criminally responsible for his father’s death.

Seaward made a custody order which detained Thomas at the Frankland Centre at Graylands Hospital in Mount Claremont for life.

with 6PR

We cross now to another press conference, this time with WA Health Minister Amber-Jade Sanderson, who is announcing the state’s ban on the sale of nitrous oxide canisters – colloquially known as “nangs” – comes into effect today.

WA prohibited the sale of the little silver canisters to under-16s back in 2022, but just a year later the government mulled harsher restrictions.

Nitrous oxide is often sold in small metal canisters and inhaled out of balloons.Credit:

As of today, nitrous oxide canisters – which have legitimate uses in the kitchen to create whipped cream – will only be available to registered food outlets or to businesses that hold a liquor licence.

“They are bad for your health, and they are too easy to access, particularly for our young people,” Sanderson said.

Silver canisters once filled with nitrous oxide have been an all-too-common common sight littering public ovals and parks across Perth. The gas is inhaled, giving users a brief “high”. But its misuse can have serious consequences.

Last year, we brought you the story of 19-year-old Molly Day, who was hospitalised and left unable to walk after suffering nitrous oxide poisoning.

Day told A Current Affair her addiction spiralled after experimenting with the drug during leavers celebrations, and soon found herself consuming up to two litres of the gas a day.

Molly said she bought the canisters at smoke shops and convenience stores, paying for them using credit as her addiction worsened.

As the drug’s popularity has grown, numerous websites have sprung up offering large canisters of the gas, which claim to be for whipped cream and baking purposes but boast lemon and berry flavourings and eye-catching designs similar to vape packaging.