As it happened: WA news on Friday, July 12

WA Premier Roger Cook has spoken out on the ongoing issues for Nicheliving customers, some of whom have waited years for their homes to be built, after reports the company had announced it would no longer respond to daily media inquiries.

Cook said more than 250 customers were waiting on answers.

It’s important that they provide information not only to [the customers], but to the community about how they’re looking to resolve the situation that we have in front of us at the moment.

I think we just want Niche to do everything they can to make sure we get these homes built, and my government’s working with Nicheliving to urge them to explore every opportunity to get those homes built.

They are currently not eligible for the home indemnity insurance arrangements so they can only complete their current homes, they can’t begin construction of any future homes.

Dozens of distressed customers have now made complaints to the Building Commissioner about the lengthy delays.

West Coast Eagles’ interim coach Jarrad Schofield did not reveal whether he’ll apply for the job full-time at a press conference held this morning.

Schofield will take the reins for Sunday’s AFL clash with Brisbane at Optus Stadium after the Eagles parted ways with premiership coach Adam Simpson earlier this week.

Simpson, who guided West Coast to the 2018 flag during his 11-year stint as coach, will be honoured before the game.

The Eagles have already begun the search for his full-time replacement, with former West Coast ruckman and current Sydney assistant Dean Cox considered the early hot favourite.

Josh Carr, Jaymie Graham, Nathan Buckley, Brett Montgomery, Daniel Giansiracusa, Scott Burns and Andrew McQualter are among the many others who could also be in the running.

But Schofield is the only one who has the chance to prove first-hand what he is capable of, and he’ll use the next seven rounds to put his imprint on the squad.

Schofield coached WAFL side Subiaco to three flags across five grand finals before spending stints as an AFL assistant at Port Adelaide and West Coast.

The 49-year-old won a flag with Port Adelaide in 2004 during his 206-game career.

AAP

Resources Minister Madeleine King has said spoken with Gary Adshead on 6PR about resources giant BHP’s decision to shut down its Nickel West operations in WA this October.

The move will put more than 3000 jobs at risk and comes after a global crash in nickel prices.

“There is no doubt that today, many workers right across all the BHP Nickel West facilities will be facing a tough day,” King said.

“It is a blow to the workforce of Western Australia but BHP has committed, and we’ll make sure they carry out this commitment, to redeploy as many as they can.”

King said while Nickel prices had declined rapidly in just five to six years given there was now an oversupply, but said she did not think it reflective on the wider resources sector.

“The demand for nickel will increase again once that glut has been consumed within the global market. That’s no consolation to the workers in the communities affected, though.”

Premier Roger Cook also expressed his disappointment at the decision.

“This is a kick in the guts for the Western Australian economy, and we need to really just need to get back up now, continue to work with the workers and their families that are involved,” he said.

Qantas is making a timely return to the French capital, with the airline’s first non-stop flight to Paris taking off from Perth on Friday evening.

It’s been a full two decades since le kangourou volant tail-wing livery was last sighted regularly at Paris’ Charles de Gaulle Airport, even with ultra-long-haul flying around the world since coming on in leaps and bounds.

Tourism Minister Rita Saffioti said it had been a massive couple of years for the aviation industry in WA.

“Not only is this an important link between WA and France, it will also provide better connections for dozens of other European destinations, boosting tourism opportunities across the region,” she said.

“Reconnecting WA with the rest of the world has been a major focus for us since borders reopened post-pandemic, and with 20 direct international links now secured or relaunched.”

Premier Roger Cook said securing more direct flights was a key part of the state government’s plan to grow the tourism industry, diversify the economy and create local jobs.

“The new Perth to Paris route will bring tens of thousands of additional visitors to WA each year,” he said.

“A third direct Europe flight cements our place as the western gateway to Australia, putting Perth on the map for visitors from across the continent.”

In aviation news, more than 16 million people have travelled through Perth Airport in the latest financial year, outstripping the previous record number of just under 15 million in 2014 financial year.

Perth Airport chief-executive Jason Waters said the numbers highlighted the extraordinary work that has gone into attracting airlines to the state, including direct flights to London, New York and, starting from today, Paris.

Premier Roger Cook is expected to speak more on that new flight route later this morning.

“Our rebound from the COVID pandemic has been nothing short of amazing,” Waters said.

“We have added more than 10 million passengers since the 2021 financial year and in doing so, we have easily broken a record that has stood for a decade.

“We expect this growth to continue as airlines continue to show their confidence in the WA market.”

Over the next 10 years, the airport will expand further, thanks to a multi-billion-dollar upgrade with a new terminal and runway complete by 2031.

The landmark $5 billion agreement between Qantas and Perth Airport is the largest ever private infrastructure development in Perth.

A West Australian school student and a teacher have blocked the only entry to Woodside’s Burrup Hub this morning, by chaining themselves to concrete barrels inside an SUV and boat parked across the road.

Police were called to the scene around 4am, where 17-year-old Emma and Petrina Harley, who has previously blockaded Burrup Road, were blocking the entry to the mining giant’s biggest site.

Emma said she was taking part because the project was “destroying” her future.

“The government is currently considering plans to extend the Burrup Hub out until 2070 and approve Browse, the largest gas field in Australia,” she said.

“Our systems are responsible for climate destruction and ecological collapse, and direct action is the only way to adequately respond to the crisis we are facing.”

Harley said their action was “a safe, sensible, proportionate response to an emergency unfolding at Woodside’s Burrup Hub.”

Pilbara police have said the road was not blocked fully, and they were directing traffic around the protestors throughout the morning. It is unclear whether any charges have been laid.

To some early morning crime news and a West Australian couple previously charged over allegedly keeping an employee in debt bondage are expected to appear in court today, charged with additional offences relating to six others.

Australian Federal Police first charged the man, 32, and woman, 37, from Ocean Reef in May after investigating allegations they provided false details on visa applications for a foreign worker who came to Australia in late 2023 to work as a masseuse in their business in regional WA.

The couple is accused of mistreating the woman after her arrival, including by allegedly taking her passport illegally, underpaying her and forcing her to pay off debts that were excessive or unreasonably allocated.

After further inquiries, the AFP has charged them with additional offences over allegations they submitted false information on multiple visa documents relating to the 36-year-old and on visa applications for another six foreign workers.

Only one of those other workers, the now-38-year-old, arrived in Australia. She was employed at the couple’s massage business in early 2023 but ceased employment after three months.

AFP Human Trafficking Team acting Sergeant Kevin Loermans said police would allege the couple had repeatedly tried to subvert immigration laws.

“We allege they aimed to profit from exploiting vulnerable foreign workers who may be unwilling to complain because they have fewer support networks and less understanding of workers’ rights in Australia or the help available to protect them,” he said.

Let’s kick off with this morning’s headlines.

• A list of jobs that boast six-figure median full-time incomes in Australia has been revealed.
• The head of medtech giant ResMed Mick Farrell and News Corporation boss Robert Thomson have taken out the top two spots in an annual list of the highest-paid chief executives of ASX-listed companies, with the average ASX 100 CEO paid 50 times what an average Australian worker earns.
• Chinese students vastly outnumber counterparts of other nationalities seeking asylum in Australia as the country faces a recent surge in study visa holders claiming protection following a Labor crackdown on international education.

• The share of highly indebted home borrowers has cratered in the wake of one of the steepest rate hiking cycles in the Reserve Bank’s history, further fuelling concerns that Australians without access to wealth have been shut out of the property market.
• Two Australian nationals and their Filipina companion were killed in a hotel in a popular resort city south of the Philippine capital and police were trying to identify and track down the suspects, officials said.
• A key Democratic congress member says that the party is split on whether to replace President Joe Biden and has no practical way to do it, even as the US announces a new diplomatic initiative including Australia.