As it happened: WA news on Monday, August 25

Bringing you back to our post from 10.14am regarding student assistance payments.

Opposition Education Minister Liam Staltari has said that the same families who had benefited from those payments would be hit by cuts to other programs.

“Many of the exact same families who will benefit from the student assistance payment will be hit by the Cook government’s cruel cuts to free VacSwim pool entry and the clothing allowance for vulnerable families,” he said.

“These cuts have left thousands of families in the lurch and were sneakily included in the recent state budget.

“We call on the government to use the mid-year review to reverse these cuts and prioritise this targeted cost-of-living relief over their expensive pet projects.”

One of the two court cases that have been standing in the way of a final decision over Woodside’s massive North West gas project has been adjudicated, three years after the process began.

In 2022 traditional custodian Raelene Cooper applied to the federal environment minister, requesting that further fossil fuel development of Murujuga, also known as the Burrup Peninsula in northern Western Australia, cease to protect its cultural heritage.

The region contains one of the world’s most significant rock art sites, which Cooper argued would be damaged by construction and emissions from the proposal to extend Woodside’s gas project from 2030 to 2070.

But three years later the minister has yet to make ruling, prompting Cooper to call on the federal court to instruct the current environment minister, Murray Watt, to make a determination before September 12.

Justice Angus Stewart ruled today that three years was too long a delay for the minister and the federal department to make its decision, but declined to issue a deadline for the decision, saying he expected the department to do so in the coming weeks.

The government was ordered to pay Cooper’s costs.

The federal government has already given conditional approval for the project’s extension, but negotiations over attached environmental conditions are thought to have delayed the final decision.

Critics of the project say it will not only damage the cultural heritage of the critical site, but will undermine Australia’s contribution to the global effort to reign in global warming.

A Supreme Court challenge by Friends of Australian Rock Art to the Western Australian government’s decision to approve the development will return to court in October.

A WA man has been accused of driving a stolen vehicle through a service station, leaving a wake of flames in his path.

The 28-year-old Ryansbrook man has been charged with trespassing, stealing a motor vehicle, burglary and stealing over the incident which occurred around 12.15am on Sunday at a service station in Kojonup.

It’s alleged that after the crash, the man forced entry into the service station and stole a number of items. He was arrested a short time later and is due to appear in Albany Magistrates Court next month.

Sticking with the press conference this morning and Sabine Winton, who is also Minister for Preventative Health, was asked about reports that whooping cough cases are up around 50 per cent on last year.

Winton said the main issue was immunisation rates had dropped.

“That’s top of mind for me … it’s certainly the number one issue that’s been raised with me by stakeholders, and particularly the AMA, in terms of West Australia’s immunisation rates,” she said.

“Can I just urge everyone, please keep your immunisations up to date. I think that people are a little bit complacent.

“We know that is the best defence, not only for your most precious loved ones, but it’s also the best defence for our entire community.”

But asked whether she believed the “anti-vaxxers are winning the PR battle”, Winton said she did not believe so.

“The key is raising the awareness and making it a priority for parents to get their children immunised,” she said.

“I want to do all I can to make it easier and more convenient for people to get immunised because I think that’s a key to lifting our rates.”

New figures have revealed that more families made use of the state government’s student assistance payments this year – increasing by nearly 8 per cent on 2024.

Education Minister Sabine Winton this morning announced 424,000 students and their families received either $250 for secondary school or $150 for primary school for uniforms, books, excursions, equipment and other essentials.

This equates to 83.4 per cent of eligible recipients with students enrolled in WA schools receiving support.

Families in Baldivis claimed the most – over $1.8 million – followed by Canning Vale, Ellenbrook, Byford and Willetton.

There was also a boost in the number of claims paid for students in regional and remote areas, including an additional 27 per cent of families in the Kimberley region, which had the lowest claim rate in the state last year.

But it was families in Dalyellup and Margaret River claiming the most in the regions.

“This was made possible by incredible efforts from our schools, and I want to thank them for supporting the government’s strong focus this year on lifting claim rates in key regions,” Winton said.

“We know these payments have made a difference for WA students, helping to set them up for success with the everyday essentials they need to thrive at school.”

West Australians heading to Bali have had their travel plans cut short after an engine issue forced an Air Asia flight to turn back last night.

The flight left Perth around 6.45pm, but shortly after, passengers said they saw flames coming out of the right-hand-side of the aircraft, and heard several loud bangs, before all lights in the cabin went black.

Air Asia confirmed the aircraft had suffered an engine failure, with the pilot forced to circle offshore near Rottnest Island several times, burning fuel, so the plane was a safe weight for landing.

The plane arrived back at Perth Airport safely around one hour later.

Most passengers have been rebooked on flights out this morning.

A major investigation has been ordered into how an accused criminal managed to escape custody for more than 24 hours.

WA Police say Robert Kevin McCullough, 39, used a false name to walk out of court, today back behind bars after handing himself in.

He appeared in the central law court on Friday over serious sex offences when police say he vanished from custody, accused of tricking staff and walking out the front door.

Attorney General Tony Buti alleged he used someone else’s name to escape.

“My main concern is to find out exactly what happened and make changes if they need to be made,” he said.

McCullough handed himself in on Saturday night and was charged with escaping lawful custody and stealing.