Thanks for following along today, readers.
This weekend, you might be watching Fremantle test their premiership credentials in Saturday’s clash with Sydney at the SCG, checking out the new lunar exhibition at Boola Bardip, or heading out to dinner at Peasant’s Paradice in Northbridge based on today’s rave review!
Whatever you choose, have fun, stay safe and we’ll see you back at the blog on Monday.
Now is not the time to make a cheeky offer on a property with new REIWA data showing the number of Perth sellers discounting their houses is at the lowest level in 20 years.
So far this year, just 12.6 per cent of houses sold for less than the listed price, significantly lower than the rates of discounting in the previous boom when 46.3 per cent of houses were sold for less than their listed price in 2014.
REIWA data for Perth house sales to May shows homeowners are selling for about 5 per cent more than the listing price.
Chief executive Cath Hart said the figure highlighted just how tight the market was:
Along with strong price growth and record low days on market, this figure shows the incredible effect the high level of competition for houses is having on the market.
“Many sellers are receiving multiple offers, with nearly 90 per cent of houses selling for more than the listing price.
“We’re in a rising market. There is strong competition for properties and this puts upward pressure on prices.
“And with homes selling so quickly, prices are moving upward quickly – each sale creates a new baseline for a neighbourhood.
“New homes in that area come to market above the baseline, but then competition often sees them sell above that, which resets the baseline.”
Kings Park and Botanic Garden is Australia’s ‘best of the best attraction’ in the 2024 Tripadvisor Travellers’ Choice Awards.
It beat the Sydney Opera House and the botanic gardens from all other States and received a perfect five-star TripAdvisor rating based on almost 12,500 reviews.
Kings Park beats Sydney Opera House.Credit: Tourism Western Australia
Botanic Gardens and Parks Authority director experience, Jo Metcalf said: “We’re thrilled that visitors to our park and botanic garden love it as much as we do.
“Western Australian flora is like no other in the world, and here at Kings Park we are immensely proud to have the Western Australian Botanic Garden that showcases and conserves more than 3000 of our State’s unique species.”
She encouraged tourists to make Kings Park their next destination and enjoy the beautiful gardens, rich Noongar cultural heritage, bushland trails, lookouts and family areas.
The Home Builders Action Group is calling for an urgent recovery package for families grappling with the cost of renting while paying a mortgage on their unfinished homes.
Chair Jason Janssen said rising interest rates, skyrocketing rents, increased homelessness and the collapse of home builders had hit struggling families hard.
“Urgent action is needed to implement a recovery package to help families who are having to pay rent and mortgage repayments because their homes remain unfinished,” he said.
Families are crying out for help.Credit: Bloomberg
“This assistance could take the form of an interest rate subsidy, or voucher scheme that compensates families for this additional cost.
“It should be targeted and limited to applicants who can demonstrate hardship that results directly from delays in the completion of homes.“
Janssen also called for an immediate review of the Builders Support facility to increase the size of the loan that can be borrowed.
“At present it is $300,000 and it should be three times that amount,” he said.
WA Police has been slammed by the Corruption and Crime Commission for its bungled handling of the unlawful arrest of a 14-year-old Aboriginal girl in 2022.
The girl was walking home from a friend’s house late at night pushing her electric scooter that had run out of battery not far from her home when she was arrested by officers in an unmarked police car.
She had done nothing wrong, but it took three internal investigations before action was taken against the officers who arrested and handcuffed her in action the CCC called “unlawful, unreasonable, oppressive and unjust.”
Good news for travellers today, with two new routes from Rex Airlines between Melbourne and Adelaide, and Perth, launched today.
Eight new flights into Perth will create an additional 60,000 seats into Western Australia each year.
REX says it will offer Melbourne to Perth economy fares $299 one way.Credit: Paul Rovere
Rex Airlines is operating three flights a week between Adelaide and Perth with fares starting
from $249, and five flights a week will between Melbourne and Perth, starting from $299.
The airline already services WA’s regions with flights to Albany, Esperance, Carnarvon and
Monkey Mia from Perth.
Jai Hindley insists he has no beef with Australian rival Ben O’Connor as he prepares for the Tour de France, set to play a vital role in what could be one of the most open and hard-fought contests for the title in years.
Perth climbers Hindley and O’Connor both competed for the yellow jersey last season, their exploits captured in a Netflix series on the 21-stage race, which this year covers 3498 kilometres over three weeks.
A crash derailed Australian Jai Hindley’s chance of a podium finish in his debut Tour de France.Credit: Reuters
Speaking ahead of Saturday’s Grand Depart in Florence, Italy, Hindley set the record straight.
“Netflix, they just take the piss, and cut and change and dramatise everything,” he said.
“I get it, but all the things I said were also (taken) completely out of context.
“I’ve got no issues with Ben O’Connor at all. It’s Netflix. It’s got to be drama.”
Perth Glory are set to unveil former Socceroos striker David Zdrilic as their new head coach.
Alen Stajcic, who still had two more years to run on his contract, stepped down as Glory coach this week to take up the head role at Western Sydney.
Glory have scheduled an announcement for 12.30pm on Friday to unveil their new coach.
But Sydney FC beat them to the punch on Friday morning, revealing their assistant coach Zdrilic is leaving the Sky Blues after being “offered the opportunity of a head coach role”.
AAP
WA Health is urging Western Australians travelling to Bali about a recent surge in dengue fever cases.
The number of WA dengue fever notifiable cases has tripled compared with the same time last year, up from 107 cases to 322 cases. Eighty per cent of these cases travelled to Indonesia.
Professor Paul Effler said the mosquito-borne disease could cause severe illness.
Tourists enjoy a drink in a beach bar along Seminyak beach.Credit: Shutterstock
“While most people will experience mild flu-like symptoms, the disease may be fatal especially for those who become infected with dengue fever a second time,” the WA Health Communicable Disease Control Acting Director said.
“The best defence against dengue fever is to protect yourself from mosquito bites when visiting Bali or other high-risk areas.”
Symptoms of dengue fever may include fever, rash, headache, fatigue, and joint and muscle pain, with more severe disease presenting with abdominal pain, vomiting, and bleeding from the gums or nose.
There is no specific treatment for this illness, however the risk of contracting dengue fever can be significantly reduced by protecting against mosquitoes when travelling overseas.
“If you do become seriously unwell overseas it is important to seek medical attention straight away,” Professor Effler said.
Concrete batching plants in East Perth have been given a deadline of December 2027 to relocate their operations so the land can be used to revitalise the area for more homes and businesses.
The Hanson and Holcim batching plants have been in the East Perth area for more than four decades and in their current locations since the mid-90s but residential developments have been edging closer, and with them, increased community and council opposition.
The Hanson concrete batching plant in East Perth.Credit: Hamish Hastie
The operators had applied for a seven-year extension however the Western Australian Planning Commission today approved half that period – three-and-a-half years.
The Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage commissioned an independent report by consultancy firm Pracsys which found that closing the plants immediately could create short term “price shocks” in the concrete market which would impact major CBD construction projects.
Planning Minister John Carey said the complexities of moving the plants had been extremely challenging, with a number of government agencies and the City of Vincent continuing to work with the plant operators to progress relocation.
“The strict conditions imposed set out a clear pathway to relocate these plants and bring the vision for this urban precinct to life, which the community has been strongly advocating for,” he said.