Follow our live coverage here.
Follow our live coverage here.
ELECTION DAY:
Saturday. Polls open 8 am.
ELECTORAL CHANGES:
LABOR SEATS AT RISK:
* Churchlands, Nedlands, South Perth, Carine, Bateman, Riverton, Warren-Blackwood, Scarborough, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Albany
A 22-year-old man has been arrested and charged with a string of offences after taking police on a high-speed chase through several suburbs in Perth’s east.
Around 7.30am this morning, the man allegedly drove his Holden Commodore at speeds over 155 kilometres per hour from Gosnells to Beckenham.
He failed to stop for police on Tonkin Highway in Forrestfield, allegedly continuing to drive recklessly on various streets and through the emergency lanes on main roads to overtake other vehicles.
He was followed by Police Air Wing before crossing onto the wrong side of the road and crashing with a white Volkswagen Golf hatchback.
The male driver of the Golf hatchback and his female passenger were not injured.
The 22-year-old from Byford was apprehended at the scene of the crash.
He appeared in the Armadale Magistrates Court today charged with reckless driving at a speed of 155 kilometres per hour or more to escape pursuit by police, failing to comply with a direction to stop, no authority to drive and possessing cocaine.
Former Nationals MP James Hayward — who was serving almost three years in jail for child sex abuse until his conviction was quashed — has lambasted state prosecutors after the charges against him were dropped ahead of his retrial.
The former upper house MP was sentenced to two years and nine months jail in August 2023 after being convicted of two counts of indecently dealing with an eight-year-old child between 2019 and 2021.
But he was released on bail in January after having his convictions set aside and his request for a retrial granted by the Court of Appeal.
However, that retrial was put on ice on Friday, after prosecutor Sean Stocks revealed the state would no longer be pursuing the charges over concerns about the complainant’s wellbeing.
Fronting the media outside court, Hayward expressed gratitude for his family’s unwavering support after what he described as a “nightmare” that had left them traumatised, accusing state prosecutors of “recklessly” pursuing the case against him despite its deficiencies.
He acknowledged that while he had been legally vindicated, it would be “difficult to shake” four years of headlines — and described the prosecution’s claim the case was dropped for the sake of the child as a “final kick in the guts”.
“It has taken 1195 days for me to walk away a free and innocent man, 410 of those days spent in prison,” he said.
“I did not receive a fair trial. Through the appeals process, the court recognised this, and as a result, the state has been held to account. I just want to enjoy my life as a free man without this terrible, terrible thing hanging over me.”
The Western Force’s new travel schedule has been given an early thumbs up as the team attempts to follow their Canberra heroics with a win on Waratahs territory.
Two weeks ago, the Force ended their 15-game losing streak on the road when they upset the Brumbies 45-42.
It was the Force’s first win in Canberra for an incredible 5060 days, and marked the first time they had started a season with two consecutive wins.
Last week’s 28-24 loss to the Reds in Perth – in which the Force kicked the ball away in the dying minutes in a decision that allowed Queensland to score the winning try – brought them back to earth.
But after analysing that loss and putting it behind them, the Force have set their sights on taking down the Waratahs at Allianz Stadium in Sydney on Saturday night.
Force coach Simon Cron believes the team’s new travel schedule has them better positioned for success on the road this season.
Wallabies lock Jeremy Williams (concussion) has been named to return against his former side in a major boost for the Force.
Outside-centre Sio Tomkinson also returns from concussion, while former Waratahs flanker Will Harris has earned a spot in the starting side after some impressive displays from the bench.
AAP
Party leaders have expended their final stock of ammunition in last ditch pitches to the public, just 8.6 kilometres apart.
Premier Roger Cook was spruiking his Made in WA plan at Unique Metal Works in Wangara while Libby Mettam was in the battleground seat of Kingsley at the pre-poll centre in Warwick.
“We’ve worked hard in this campaign. We’ve made sure that we’ve had a comprehensive package in policy and a plan to put to the people of Western Australia, continuing to grow our cost of living measures, growing our housing supply, faster homes and more affordable homes, and, of course, a massive investment in our healthcare system,” Cook said.
“Throughout this campaign, the Liberal Party have shown that they’re not up to the job of being in government in Western Australia. They are chaotic. They are dysfunctional.”
Mettam highlighted Labor’s track record in health and lashed the party’s spending priorities.
“I will be uncompromising. There will be no vanity projects,” she said.
“There will be no METRONET MKII, no speedway on the river’s edge, no National Rugby League team, and no rocket launcher.
“After eight years of WA Labor our state’s health system is on life support, a record number of families are living in poverty, more people are homeless than ever before, more families are experiencing mortgage or rental stress, and there is more crime on our streets and in our homes.
“Roger Cook is asking Western Australians to consider his government’s experience and vote Labor, what he’s really asking you to do is vote for four more years of the same.”
To the premier’s press conference this morning, and he has admitted he did not know his Labor MP Dr Jags Krishnan owned a stake in Key Largo Medical Centre.
One-year-old Sandipan Dhar’s death from the blood cancer on March 24 sent shockwaves through the state after it was revealed it went undetected despite several GP appointments at the Key Largo Medical Centre in Clarkson and the Joondalup Health Campus ED in the days prior.
WAtoday revealed on Thursday that Krishnan owned a 10 per cent stake in Key Largo and one of its directors is his business partner in several other medical practices.
Last year Health Minister Amber-Jade Sanderson publicly pleaded with the Key Largo to meet the family of Sandipan which was rejected.
When asked whether he knew about Krishnan’s involvement with the practice Cook said he didn’t but defended his MP.
“My understanding is that Dr Jags has a share with a family trust, and that family trust is a very small shareholder in that particular facility. So from that perspective, I don’t think he’s got any sort of operational role to be able to be engaged in that,” he said.
“I don’t have the details in relation to his relationship, business or otherwise, with that particular practice.
“Dr Jags is a great representative for the people of Riverton, and is an important member of my WA Labor team.”
We turn now to some breaking news from inside the District Court, where former Nationals MP James Hayward has just had the charges against him sensationally dropped ahead of his retrial.
The upper house MP had been sentenced to two years and nine months jail in 2023 after being convicted of two counts of indecently dealing with an eight-year-old child between 2019 and 2021.
But the 56-year-old was released on bail in January after having his convictions set aside and his request for a retrial granted by the Court of Appeal.
Shortly after 10am this morning, the eve of the state election, it was revealed state prosecutors would no longer be pursuing the charges against him.
The state prosecutor told the court police had opted against continuing the case after consulting with the family of the alleged victim, who would be compelled to reinterview ahead of a retrial.
The ex-MP for the South West has been vying to return to parliament since the convictions which rendered him ineligible for higher office were overturned.
He resigned from the WA Nationals after being suspended when the charges were laid in December 2021, but continued serving as an independent until he was convicted.
He has since been stripped of his rights as a former member of parliament – including his right to access Parliament House.
Pitted against a dominant opponent, Liberal leader Libby Mettam has fought tooth and nail in an unwinnable state election.
But her reward may be betrayal if her party fails to significantly erode Labor’s 53 of 59 seat stranglehold on Western Australia’s lower house in Saturday’s poll, following its unprecedented landslide victory in 2021.
“The better she performs, the more time she has as opposition leader in the next term, and to gain traction,” political analyst and Notre Dame University executive dean Martin Drum told AAP.
“Closer to 20 (seats), that buys her time … obviously if she finishes with 10, … the knives will be out pretty soon.”
Many Liberals view the party’s candidate for Churchlands – high-profile Perth media personality and the city’s lord mayor Basil Zempilas – as a future leader if he wins the seat Labor presently holds on to by the slimmest of margins.
“Most people concede it’s impossible for (Mettam) to win and she’s got someone breathing over her shoulder,” Drum said.
Two opinion polls published on Friday point to gains for the Liberals.
A Demos AU survey of 1126 people predicts a 57-43 two-party preferred vote, with a 13 per cent swing against Labor that could put up to 11 seats in reach of the Liberals.
Newspoll similarly predicts Liberal gains of up to 11 seats, with its polling showing a 57.5 to 42.5 two-party-preferred Labor lead from a 12.2 per cent swing, up from 56-44 a month ago.
AAP
Women from multiple industries in WA have been added to the state’s Women’s Hall of Fame in a ceremony at the Government House Ballroom last night.
Inductees were selected from one of eight categories for a range of achievements, including becoming the first Aboriginal woman to complete a law degree, advocating against domestic violence, excelling in the Paralympics and hosting international art exhibitions.
WA Governor Chris Dawson and Minister for Women’s Interests Sue Ellery were there to celebrate the 16 women, and to honour the four women added posthumously to the ‘Roll of Honour’.
Established in 2011 in recognition of the centenary of International Women’s Day, 2025 marks the 15th anniversary of the event.
Organisers have said it cements a resolve to “continue to tell the stories of women’s significant contributions to our community, fostering greater respect for women, and progressing gender equity.”
You can view a full list of inductees, and see more about their achievements, here.
The WA premier was on the Today Show an hour ago spruiking his party in the final day before the election, and now it’s Liberal leader Libby Mettam’s turn.
“You don’t strike me as someone who likes consolation prizes, so how are you feeling about the possibility of being runner-up tomorrow?,” program host Lara Vella asked.
But Mettam, who has not admitted defeat once during this campaign (unlike predecessor Zak Kirkup) held her ground.
“We’re not looking at being runner-up tomorrow. We’re focused on winning the election,” she said.
“I appreciate it’s a David and Goliath task, given the resources, but this is a government who have comprehensively failed the people of Western Australia during the largest boom our state has ever seen.”
And while Cook was questioned over stepping out of the shadow of former Premier Mark McGowan, Mettam’s shadow is Liberal candidate for Churchlands Basil Zempilas.
“How irritating was leadership speculation within your own party in the lead up to the election, and how do you get on with Basil Zempilas these days?,” she was asked.
“We get along very well. I’m not distracted by that,” Mettam said, before shifting the focus back to other members of her team.
“Our message to the people of WA is that your vote is powerful.
“The WA Liberal team represents experienced candidates who have had real jobs and industry experience and are actually listening to the people of WA.”
Stay tuned with us tomorrow – we’ll bring you updates throughout the day as the results roll in.
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