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WA Electoral Commissioner Robert Kennedy.

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State PoliticsCommentsPremium
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Robert Kennedy resigns, but gets 8 weeks pay on his way out

Electoral Commissioner Robert Kennedy has resigned after 24 hours of high-drama, as he defied warnings that Parliament was poised to push him out and Labor was forced back to the drawing board.

Ben Harvey and Jessica Page

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POLITICSPremium‘Who’s first?’: Wells teases $50m bludgeon

With one week to go until the social media ban, the minister spearheading it is lowering expectations.

Joseph Olbrycht-Palmer

Minister for Communications Anika Wells at a press conference at Parliament House in Canberra, Tuesday, September 2, 2025.

Federal politicsCommentsPremiumLabor says under-16s ban to wage war against ‘dopamine drip’

Anika Wells says Australia’s impending social media ban will help teenagers break away from the ‘dopamine drip’ binding under-16s to their phones.

Caitlyn Rintoul

Australia’s eSafety Commissioner has issued a scathing rebuke of Sam Altman and AI CEOs. NewsWire / Martin Ollman

NewsPremiumWhat ‘scares’ Aussie eSafety Commissioner

Australia’s eSafety Commissioner has issued a scathing rebuke of AI CEOs, warning the “purveyors and profiteers” are no longer in control.

Nathan Schmidt

Shire of Brookton councillors Gary Crouch, Beryl Copping, president Rod Wallis, Peta Harben, deputy president Lachlan McCabe, Kerry Toop and Tamara de Lange.

REPAIRING RAILWAY RIFTPremiumNew Brookton council keen to mend community rift

A new-look Brookton council has drawn a wave of community support as it works to restitch a relationship torn by a long-running dispute over the town’s historic railway station.

Hannah Whitehead

WA Premier Roger Cook announced plans for a State Development Bill at Leadership Matters in September and has named it a priority to pass Parliament this year.

state politicsCommentsPremiumDeadline looming for Roger Cook’s Parliament wish list

The Opposition will clear a path for Roger Cook’s State Development Bill to sail through the Upper House, with surrogacy laws also expected to pass this week.

Jessica Page

WA Attorney General Tony Buti in Rocks Laneway, Geraldton.

state politicsCommentsRent relief promise after Perth named most unaffordable city

A rent relief program for tenants to avoid evictions will be extended, the State Government has announced, as the Opposition seized on figures branding Perth the most unaffordable capital city in Australia.

Jessica Page

An app has been launched so commuters bracing for chaos when the Fremantle traffic bridge closes in February

state politicsCommentsPerth suburb bracing for traffic chaos from February

‘It will have an impact on the local road network and people’s travel times’

Jessica Page

Penny Wong has called on Pacific nations to band together to counter the influence of China. (Mick Tsikas/AAP PHOTOS)

PoliticsPremium'This is our home': Wong's unity call to Pacific Isles

Australia has issued a call to Pacific Island nations to join forces so the region will be able to maintain sovereignty in the face of growing pressure.

Tess Ikonomou

Former ABC managing director David Anderson was thrown a $45k farewell party by the public broadcaster. (AAP Image/Mick Tsikas)

Federal PoliticsCommentsPremiumABC spends $45k on farewell party for former boss

The Australian Broadcasting Corporation has revealed it spent $45,000 in taxpayers’ money on a farewell party for former managing director David Anderson.

Caitlyn Rintoul

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NewsPremiumABC boss defends ‘racist’ comments

ABC boss Hugh Marks has refused to apologise for comments made by a prominent journalist that Coalition senators have claimed were “racist”.

Nathan Schmidt

Premier Roger Cook said ‘no-one deserves to come to work and to be assaulted, abused or mistreated.’

State Politics CommentsPremiumRetail thugs face two-year shop ban over staff assaults

Assaults on WA retail workers could see offenders batted from stores for up to two years under new laws to be introduced by the Cook Government, following a spike in serious incidents.

Charlton Hart

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POLITICSPremium‘Political hacks’ getting plum jobs: report

The government says it sat on a scathing report about political appointments for two years because it ‘took the time to get this right’.

Joseph Olbrycht-Palmer

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NewsPremiumThree dead after ABC asbestos exposure

Three people have died after having potentially been exposed to asbestos at ABC offices in Victoria, a Senate estimates hearing has been told.

Nathan Schmidt

Australian Communications and Media Authority chair Nerida O'Loughlin was challenged on triple zero. (Mick Tsikas/AAP PHOTOS)

PoliticsPremiumWatchdog challenged over triple zero risk in old phones

Customers should be warned by their telcos if their phones are unable to call triple zero in an emergency, the communications watchdog insists.

Zac de Silva

Advocates say restrictions on unnecessary procedures will protect intersex children. (Joe Castro/AAP PHOTOS)

PoliticsPremiumState moves to ban unnecessary intersex child surgery

Unnecessary procedures on intersex children will be prohibited under laws to be introduced by one Australian state in a move hailed by advocates.

Callum Godde

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COURTPremiumWild claim in sexual violence class action

A class action lawsuit which alleges female members of the ADF were subjected to sexual assault and harassment has been mentioned in court for the first time.

Steve Zemek

A One Nation senator has followed up leader Pauline Hanson's burqa stunt with swipes at sharia law. (Mick Tsikas/AAP PHOTOS)

PoliticsPremiumOne Nation senator slapped down over sharia law rant

A senator has been accused of driving Islamophobia by spreading false information about sharia law during a hearing probing efforts to tackle anti-Muslim hate.

Jacob Shteyman

Greens senator David Shoebridge has taken issue with Australia’s definition of anti-Semitism. NewsWire / Martin Ollman

POLITICSPremiumBaffling ‘anti-Semitism’ claim sparks fury

A Greens senator has been criticised after making a wild claim against the woman shaping Australia’s response to rising anti-Semitism.

Joseph Olbrycht-Palmer

Tasmanian Premier Jeremy Rockliff admits to nerves ahead of a make or break vote on the stadium. (Ethan James/AAP PHOTOS)

PoliticsPremiumNerves jangling ahead of do or die stadium vote

The future of a contentious stadium and an AFL licence will be decided during a parliamentary debate that could stretch over days.

Ethan James

Jurors in Megan Thee Stallion's defamation lawsuit against a blogger have ruled in her favour. (AP PHOTO)

Law and orderPremiumMegan Thee Stallion wins case against blogger

Megan Thee Stallion has claimed victory in her defamation case against blogger Milagro Gramz.

Staff Writers

Land clearing has long been identified as a major threat to nature and biodiversity. (Mick Tsikas/AAP PHOTOS)

PoliticsPremiumAg bosses told of land clearing reforms at last minute

Farmers are unsure how to continue work under fast-tracked changes to land clearing laws, which have been hailed as a milestone for conservation.

Stephanie Gardiner

Electoral Commissioner Robert Kennedy.

State politicsCommentsDeadline looming for under-fire Electoral Commissioner

Premier Roger Cook has dismissed claims the Electoral Commissioner is being made a scapegoat as Robert Kennedy resists calls to resign over the bungled March 8 State election.

Jessica Page

The weather bureau's redesigned website is copping criticism over its cost and content changes. (Nadir Kinani/AAP PHOTOS)

PoliticsPremium'Didn't get it right': BOM defends website cost blowout

The Bureau of Meteorology's chief executive is standing by controversial changes to its website overhaul as he faces a senate grilling.

Andrew Brown