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Premier Roger Cook, Sport and Recreation Minister Rita Saffioti, Australian Rugby League Commission Chairman Peter V’landys and National Rugby League CEO Andrew Abdo at HBF park following the announcement about the new NRL team based in WA.

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state politicsCommentsPremium
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Stadium upgrade likely to follow $65m WA NRL deal

WA taxpayers are likely not done footing the bill for a local NRL side, with a $65 million deal expected to be followed by a significant stadium upgrade. 

Jessica Page

Vaping will no longer be allowed in Western Australian indoor workplaces.

WA NewsPremiumVaping at indoor workplaces to be banned in WA

Vaping and the use of e-cigarettes will now be banned at indoor workplaces in Western Australian following an update to the State’s work health and safety regulations.

Oliver Lane

The Premier put an end to the deal speculation on Wednesday with an announcement on social media at 1pm, in a video filmed in his Parliament House office.

State PoliticsCommentsPremiumCook reveals all in TikTok after throwing dummies for weeks

Roger Cook, who has insisted for weeks there was no official deal with the NRL, appears to have recorded a video detailing the agreement a week before he announced it to taxpayers.

‘We have to better reflect and better connect with the community we seek to represent,’ writes Basil Zempilas.

opinion
opinion
Basil ZempilasCommentsPremium
opinion
It’s an indisputable fact Libs don’t appeal to enough women

If 50 per cent of that community is made up of women, then should we be aiming to replicate those numbers in our Parliament. Simple as that. 

Basil Zempilas

‘We’ve announced some critical changes to the road network to make sure traffic keeps flowing,’ writes Rita Saffioti.

opinion
opinion
Rita SaffiotiCommentsPremium
opinion
New Freo bridge to be incredible despite traffic delays

We’ve announced some critical changes to the road network to make sure traffic keeps flowing.

Rita Saffioti

Roger Cook has warned Western Australia’s emissions may rise to allow the world to reach net zero targets.

STATE POLITICSCommentsPremiumPremier downplays net zero target laws to help global push

Roger Cook has warned Western Australia’s emissions may rise to allow the world to reach net zero targets as he stepped back from previously proposed legislation for a 2050 target.

Oliver Lane and Dylan Caporn

Roger Cook has revealed taxpayers will spend $65 million to secure the Perth Bears.

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updated
State PoliticsCommentsPremium
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WA Premier confirms taxpayers to spend $65m on NRL team

WA taxpayers will spend $65 million to secure an NRL side, Premier Roger Cook has revealed, but has sparked questions over the economic benefit to the State. 

Dylan Caporn

A worker with spodumene at PLS’ Pilgangoora.

The West Australian exclusive
The West Australian exclusive
MiningCommentsPremium
The West Australian exclusive
Perth exchange for lithium and rare earths in the works

The State Government and WA’s two most prominent universities are looking to develop a Perth-based trading hub in hopes local miners fetch higher prices for their wares.

Adrian Rauso

Basil Zempilas speaks to media in West Perth on April 24, 2025.

State PoliticsCommentsPremiumQuotas on the table for State Liberals to find ‘relevance’

Opposition leader Basil Zempilas has declared everything must be on the table to increase the party’s representation of women in parliament following two crushing election defeats in a little over two months.

Oliver Lane

Premier Roger Cook officially reopens CSBP’s third Nitric Acid and Ammonium Nitrate Plant in Kwinana.

POLITICSPremiumNRL deal ‘close’, Cook says, but HBF upgrade not in talks

Roger Cook has dismissed reports the Government has agreed to a $200 million redevelopment of HBF Park as part of a deal with the NRL for a WA side. 

Dylan Caporn

NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb is expected to step aside later this month. NewsWire / Nikki Short

UPDATEDPremiumTop cop speaks out after shock exit

An embattled top cop says she “knew when the time was right” to step aside after a controversial three years at the helm.

Nathan Schmidt

Not Supplied

NewsHuge change as ‘scourge’ costs Aussies $2bn

One state is set to bring in new laws to combat a “scourge” of cybercrime after Aussies lost more than $2bn last year alone.

Nathan Schmidt

Liontown chief executive Tony Ottaviano at Kathleen Valley.

MiningPremiumLiontown bags lithium support funds from WA taxpayers

Australia’s newest lithium producer, backed by Gina Rinehart, has been given a boost by the Cook Government with a $15 million interest-free loan and temporary waiver on mining fees.

Adrian Rauso

Albanese celebrating using the McGowan/Cook Playbook Illustration: Don Lindsay

opinion
opinion
Jessica PageCommentsPremium
opinion
How much further can the Liberal party fall?

The Liberal Party thought it hit rock bottom in WA in 2022, but the contagion has now spread nationwide and the blame is being widely shared around.

Jessica Page

WA is set to learn the true cost of Roger Cook’s deal with the NRL on Thursday.

State PoliticsCommentsPremiumPollster behind WA NRL team got election wipe-out wrong

The Liberal pollster under fire for failing to predict the landslide Labor victory on the weekend was also commissioned by the State Labor Government to conduct a scoping study into a WA NRL side.

Dylan Caporn

Fremantle MP Simone McGurk and Deputy Premier Rita Saffioti tour the site of the new Fremantle traffic bridge.

State PoliticsCommentsFreo gridlock warning as old bridge makes way

Commuters are being warned to brace for a year of ‘significant’ delays when the 86-year-old Fremantle traffic bridge makes way for a new, bigger version.

Jessica Page

WA Liberal leader Basil Zempilas, Beverley farmer Duncan Young, and Liberal MLC Steve Martin.

Regional WAPremiumWA Liberal leader Basil Zempilas visits the Wheatbelt

Basil Zempilas has made his first foray to the Wheatbelt as WA Opposition leader, spending a day on the road with Liberal MP and Wickepin farmer Steve Martin.  

Cally Dupe

Former NSW transport minister conceded defeat in the election. Newswire / Gaye Gerard – POOL via NCA Newswire

NewsPremiumLiberal candidate’s shock health update

A Liberal candidate has conceded defeat in his seat, slamming the party for their failed messaging while revealing a shock health update.

Alexandra Feiam

Victoria’s new top cop Mike Bush says he has a ‘passion for police’. NewsWire/Ian Currie

NewsPremium‘Best person for job’: State’s new top cop

A former New Zealand police chief is set to take the top spot at Victoria Police, weeks after a no-confidence vote gave Shane Patton the boot.

Alexandra Feiam

Roger Cook.

State PoliticsCommentsPremiumNRL deal to be announced after months of negotiations

Roger Cook will face pressure to come clean with taxpayers over the value of the deal, after the Government was understood to have tabled a revised offer last month of $50 million to grow local participation. 

Dylan Caporn and Glen Quartermain

Premier Roger Cook and Health Minister Meredith Hammat.

Federal election 2025CommentsPremium‘Tight Freo race needs to be a lesson to Labor’: Cook

Labor needs to learn from obvious ‘deep issues’ in Fremantle, Premier Roger Cook believes, after the party’s hold on the port city was again challenged by independent Kate Hulett at the Federal election.

Dylan Caporn

Expert emergency care could be just a video call away under a State Government plan to ease pressure on Perth hospitals.

The West Australian exclusive
The West Australian exclusive
state politicsCommentsPremium
The West Australian exclusive
Virtual emergency department to ease pressure on hospitals

Expert emergency care could be just a video call away under a State Government plan to ease pressure on Perth hospitals.

Jessica Page

Millions of drivers are set to cop uncreased fees for their government as the state’s 12-month freeze thaws out.

NewsPremiumMillions of drivers to cop price hike

One Australian state will cop a price hike for government services as a cost-of-living cost freeze begins to thaw out.

Alexandra Feiam

Treasurer Rita Saffioti is preparing to hand down her second Budget.

State PoliticsCommentsPremium‘I’ll keep WA rolling in cash in uncertain times’: Saffioti

Where the WA Treasurer would once have opened her phone to look at the Italian soccer results, she now looks to see what Donald Trump is up to as she prepares to hand down her second Budget.

Joe Spagnolo

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