Standing outside Joondalup train station on Sunday, Premier Roger Cook and Transport Minister Rita Saffioti followed a well-worn script for Labor.?
The ever-growing elephant in the room that nobody really wants to talk about is that when iron ore prices fall — as they inevitably will — the real pain begins.
Steve Martin
The results of Blake Lively’s case against Justin Baldoni will either set a strong precedent in holding production companies accountable for workplace behaviour or will seriously discredit two heavyweights.
Lanna Hill
Maybe then we will get thoughtful leaders who know the importance of restraining the hawks — who understand that war, like domestic violence, is always unspeakably terrible.
Andrew Miller
The next time you are in line at a café, scanning the menu for your usual flat white or long black, take a moment. You might just find yourself swayed by tea’s attractively priced and understated charm.
Gary Martin
Be careful what you wish for. That’s good advice generally, but it’s particularly applicable to politicians in campaign mode who are hoping the RBA will cut rates before voters head to the ballot box.
So far, we in WA have been fortunate to escape the scourge of rampant and violent anti-Semitism which has taken root on the east coast.
Editorial
Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus has landed in Israel this week. The Gaza ceasefire offers a golden opportunity to begin mending fences with our old ally.
The property spruiker antidote has been revealed.
Ben Harvey
I’ve crowned the very best and the worst from throughout this year.
Here’s why Gina Rinehart should just buy Melbourne.
With an election on the horizon and the Liberal leadership still a bone of contention, here’s what Ben Harvey thinks lies ahead in WA politics over the next 12 months.
When it was time to walk the walk and establish an independent parliamentary budget office to assess election costings, Labor baulked.
Jessica Page
Roger Cook embraced the tough love attitude too last week, as he fired the first series of shots in a law and order bidding war.?
No leader wants to share the spotlight. The Prime Minister and Premier are ‘friends’ who have agreed to disagree, but are their teams campaign ready?
Every election promise has a catch. The Liberal party has to explain how they’ll pay for it, Labor has to explain why they’re only coming up with these solutions now.
Those who think the cultural pendulum has swung too far towards the progressive left may be pleased by the prospect of a swing back towards more conservative values.
Kate Emery
Look beyond the Lycra to remember cyclists are human too.
Bryan Johnson has done us all a favour in talking so publicly about his plan to defy death. But his daily routine is a bit overwhelming.
We need to fundamentally re-think the way the way we approach water safety for multicultural communities in this State unless we want to see a repeat of tragedies next summer.
The spotlight of an election campaign is not the same as everyday scrutiny of politicians and leaders need to make sure they are match fit to face questions.
Katina Curtis
The turning of the calendar and the summer lull inevitably bring a degree of introspection about the year past and one beginning. So what should be in and out for federal politics in 2025?
Struggling with the question ‘How do you do it all?’ I embrace sewing as a creative outlet, finding joy and satisfaction in each project.
Peter Dutton and key shadow ministers give the distinct impression they are not across details of their own policies, despite making it a key point of attack on Anthony Albanese.
Two years ago I highlighted the dangers and tried to raise the urgency of the response.?
Basil Zempilas
‘I’m incredibly proud to be able to say Perth has a brand new New Year’s Eve tradition.’
It’s as traditional as fireworks on New Year’s Eve, the year-ending column dedicated to those who stood out at home and away in 2024. At number one: Donald Trump.
The Commonwealth Bank’s new $3 withdrawal fee hits hard during a cost-of-living crisis, showcasing corporate greed at its finest.
The endless Australia Day discourse is infurating, tedious and so exhausting.
Emma Garlett
Instead of setting a long list of resolutions, an era will encapsulate the vibe of what you’re trying to achieve and actions which align will follow.
‘It’s too hot to do anything’ are the words I’ve heard rumbling through Perth while we all have scattered to do our shopping in the final few hours of trading hours before Christmas.?
WA Environment Minister Reece Whitby announced that the Pilbara Ranger Network would be receiving a $4 million grant to expand its Aboriginal ranger programs and cultural land management initiatives.
Just as Howard’s battlers were won over by the introduction of first home buyers grants in the late 90s, the same cohort will be rushing to polling booth.
Kim Macdonald
WA dads offer their advice to high school and university graduates on how to approach life.
Money can buy happiness - or at least save you stress - and other advice for graduates from Perth mums
Society has long been asleep while so many woman have suffered under coercive control, assuming they would just leave a relationship if it was really bad. But it does not always work that way.
The Prime Minister claims he would rather be in opposition than strike a deal with the Greens or teals to secure government. What absolute nonsense.
Paul Murray
With WA headed to the polls in March, Saffioti’s electoral instincts kicked in when she presented the mid-year economic statement, patting herself on the back so hard she risked suffering a slipped disc.
So long Joe. And good riddance.
The Government is going nuclear over the Coalition’s energy plans, and its inability to take off the renewable blinkers bodes ill for our future.
Reinventing yourself can be the hardest thing you ever do, writes Justin Langer.
Justin Langer
His role off the pitch has probably become more important than it ever was on.
The summer storylines once again show that this five-day fixture is alive and well.
There is always a lot of attention drawn to resolutions, but I wonder if we spend enough time reflecting on the year that has already been.
As houses get smaller and we all get busier bingeing TV, are we neglecting that great Australian tradition: the house party?
Belle Taylor
Brain rot. Brat. Manifesting. Enshittification. The 2024 words of the year point to 12 months of hope and despair.
Is the move towards a cashless society inevitable?
Why do we think pain is a good thing?
Some of my favourite adult memories were made in the red dirt of WA’s bush, but we can’t pretend its all sunshine and roses when it comes to regional living.
Laura Newell
The State Government announces the additional hours each year as if they are Santa’s elves gifting candy to children. But come the end of the jingle tills season, it’s back to being Scrooge.?
How could I have dropped the ball so badly? (Spoiler: A boy was involved.) But with a little resilience, I went on to get a top-notch degree and pursue a career I’ve loved.?
So, here are just a few examples of myths about domestic violence that have come across my desk this year and what the reality truly is.?
‘Your Aunt been known to up-end One’s entire life after a few hours spent staring at the ocean and feeling the warm winds of January seemingly encouraging One to change countries, careers or lovers on a whim.’?
Jay Hanna
‘If your Aunt knows anything my dear, and that is up for debate, but if One does, it’s that people-pleasing is a short road to long-term disappointment.’
‘Sometimes you have to be realistic and understand that other life priorities need to take over.’
And if you are absolutely desperate for a man to escort you to a gathering in future, One can suggest a certain septuagenarian who would happily attend the opening of an envelope.
Later, the penny drops that life on land also has its ebb and flow - vigilance and situational awareness are useful; especially when everything has been smooth sailing for a while.?
Bad things can happen to anyone, but it feels particularly egregious when misfortune affects the innocent, the well-meaning and the self-deprecating. The decent folk who look out for others — you know who.
God rest ye merry gentlemen, let nothing ye dismay.
The pricing of tuition due to our federal ‘job-ready’ education policy places even less value on most humanities - at a time when we need an understanding of history, philosophy and the arts more than ever.
In February 2020, when General Motors retired the Holden brand in Australia, it marked the end of an iconic name in the motor industry.?
Dylan Caporn
For State and Federal governments, their annual budgets mark an important point in the political calendar.
It was one of the darkest days in Australian journalism when the Australian Federal Police raided the home of journalist Annika Smethurst.
If there is a hot topic in WA, chances are it will end up on The West Australian cartoonist Dean Alston’s mind.?
