Coffee with Colin: The full Q&A

Premier Colin Barnett answers the questions PerthNow readers find most important.

WEST Australians who believe Elizabeth Quay and Perth's new stadium should pay the price for education cuts need to "get a life", Premier Colin Barnett says.

In PerthNow's first Coffee with Colin in Cottesloe this morning, the Premier said "it's about time Perth grew up and became a more vibrant city" that embraced the State Government's big-ticket projects.

"What I'd say to you and people listening, (is) get a life," Mr Barnett said.

"It's about time that Perth grew up and became a more vibrant city, an attractive city for younger people, for families, even for older people.

"And Elizabeth Quay or the waterfront development has been talked about for 40 years. It will be the most attractive, vibrant part of Perth. The projects are well over halfway and next year it will be open. Already some land is being sold and it will get underway. It's fantastic and you can walk and chew gum at the same time, and this is about Perth being a better, more attractive place for people to come and stay, have great careers, raise a family, enjoy our beautiful weather and lifestyle."

Coffee with Colin: Premier Colin Barnett answers questions from senior reporter Yasmine Phillips. Picture: Marie Nirme

More than 1500 PerthNow readers hand-picked the questions they most wanted answered by Mr Barnett, across areas including sharks, education cuts, traffic congestion, Serco and his biggest regret since last year's re-election.

Over a flat white in Napoleon Street today, the Premier said it was a "little early" to say whether the State Government's controversial shark catch-and-kill policy was a success or a failure.

But he said there were "seasonal factors" as to why a great white shark had not been caught yet — despite being responsible for all but one of the fatal attacks that have occurred in WA waters in recent years.

"I think what's becoming evident is that the great whites are prevalent along our coastline at the time of the whale migration, so September, October, November," he said.

It's too early to tell yet whether the controversial shark-kill policy is a success. Picture: Marie Nirme

"We didn't have the drum lines in place then. I understand they're likely to return to the coast in the coming weeks in following the salmon run. So there are seasonal factors here — but don't underestimate tiger sharks. I'm not demonising them but they have been involved in fatal shark attacks both in WA and around the world in significant numbers — they are an aggressive animal."

Mr Barnett could not rule out further cuts to health and education if the Commonwealth "continues to redistribute WA money to the other states".

"Not avoiding the question, but the biggest problem WA faces is the continuing loss of our legitimate share of GST revenues," he said.

"And we lost money this year, for the coming financial year, we're likely to see a further cut of something like $780 million. That is grossly unfair and if the Commonwealth continues to redistribute WA money to the other states to that extent, we will have to have cuts in our areas of expenditure — and the two biggest areas are health and education.

The Premier says Elizabeth Quay and the new Burswod Stadium are fantastic developments which will make Perth a "more attractive place.'' Picture: Marie Nirme

"We are doing the best — we're keeping our budget in surplus, but it's becoming more and more difficult and essentially it's, if you like, a fiscal trap. This state is doing well in mining, almost all that money is being taken off us by the Grants Commission and given to other states, and yet this is the strongest economy — we're getting people in their tens of thousands coming to WA, looking for work, for a better life, a good lifestyle and that's the trap. Our population, our needs are going up, and yet Canberra is cutting our funds."

While saying he was "not dodging responsibility", Mr Barnett blamed government bureaucracies for some of the mistakes that have been made in the past year.

"I think we had a difficult period following the election — people were tired, they had been campaigning for probably nine months, no summer holidays, no breaks, and I think some mistakes were made," he said.

"And it was a time if there was going to be something that went wrong, it did go wrong. And I'm not dodging responsibility, I accept that, but some of the mistakes were actually made within government bureaucracies — not at a political level, but nevertheless we bear the responsibility — there were some muck-ups on EPA approvals, there were some delays on Fiona Stanley Hospital, not so much delays but people setting targets and talking about it as to when it would open when in fact those targets were never realistic, and I think there were a couple of announcements in our budget which when we looked at it carefully found that the background work hadn't been done — so I pulled those.

The Premier wraps it up with a smile. Picture: Marie Nirme.

"That caused a bit of angst, but the mistakes had been made. I think that was an unsteady period post-election, the Government is right on track — we've got a good start to this year, we're getting on with our agenda, we're delivering what we promised and this is going to be a good year — these next couple of years are going to be good years for Western Australia."

READ THE FULL TRANSCRIPT

PERTHNOW: Premier Colin Barnett, welcome to our first Coffee with Colin for PerthNow.

PREMIER: Yeah it's been sometime in the planning, but here we are.

PERTHNOW: That's right. We're here on Napoleon Street in Cottesloe. What is it that you like about this part of town?

PREMIER: Well this is the heart of my Cottesloe electorate. We live close by so it's where I come, I catch up with friends, Lyn and I on the weekend will walk down here and have a coffee so it's just a beautiful place. A lovely little spot.

PERTHNOW: As you know, we've had 1500 PerthNow readers pick the questions that they wanted to ask you today. Overwhelmingly the drum line policy was number one – 500 people wanted that question asked and basically they wanted to know whether you think the policy is a success or a failure given that it hasn't caught a great white yet?

PREMIER: I think it's a little early to judge that. The policy really needs to apply over a full summer — this has only been going for about five weeks. But it has caught a significant number of very large sharks — only this week a 4.2 metre tiger shark was caught off one of the northern beaches. These are dangerous. I don't get any satisfaction or joy out of seeing sharks killed at all, but faced with the reality of seven fatal attacks in the last three years, someone had to make a decision and take responsibility, that falls to me and I decided, somewhat reluctantly, that the protection of human life comes first. So we are, in a very targeted way, just concentrating on three species of sharks known for attacks on humans and very much limiting it to large sharks over three metres, in contrast to New South Wales and Queensland, which have been using drum line and shark nets since the 1940s and 50s.

PERTHNOW: But we know that the majority of sharks that have been caught are tiger sharks and a tiger shark has only been responsible for one attack in the last 30 years. Would you regard the policy a success or a failure based on that statistic?

PREMIER: I think what's becoming evident is that the great whites are prevalent along our coastline at the time of the whale migration, so September, October, November. We didn't have the drum lines in place then, I understand they're likely to return to the coast in the coming weeks in following the salmon run. So there are seasonal factors here — but don't underestimate tiger sharks. I'm not demonising them but they have been involved in fatal shark attacks both in WA and around the world in significant numbers — they are an aggressive animal.

PERTHNOW: How long do you see the policy running its course?

PREMIER: There will be a review of the policy at the end of this summer, but bear in mind, it's only run for the second half of summer. I certainly see it continuing through next summer. I think then we will have a better feel — I am hopeful that, and it may take two or three years, but I am hopeful that we can get the situation where it may not need to continue permanently on the metropolitan beaches, that the numbers of very large sharks will be reduced and it will be safer. There's also more aerial patrols and beach patrols on Perth beaches. However, I suspect it may need to be maintained for a longer period on the South-West beaches, where clearly there has been the majority of the shark attacks and continuing frequent sightings of very large sharks in that area.

PERTHNOW: Do you think that the drum lines have made people feel safer?

PREMIER: I think, over time, yes it will. Bear in mind, this is a reluctant policy but we have been strongly supported by the Surf Life Saving Association. People who take responsibility and protect people on our beaches, they, like me, have reluctantly come out (and) strongly supported it as a necessary measure to protect people who love to go to the beach, who love to swim, to surf, to dive. And we've had 20 shark fatalities on over 100 years, we've had seven of those in the past three years — I had no option but to act in the interests of public safety.

PERTHNOW: One of the most divisive issues that has come up within public education in recent years has been the announced cuts and savings. Are you regretting that decision given the outpouring of negative responses from parents and educators?

PREMIER: I think most parents would be very happy with the quality of education in WA and the quality of facilities. WA schools are the best funded of any schools in any other state in Australia. WA school teachers are the highest paid of any group of teachers in the country — and this year, we've actually increased funding across the system by $300 million. Now, a lot of that is used up by the very rapid increase in the number of students attending our schools so we've had to put some tightening of the belt measures if you like — and that has had some impact on some schools, I recognise that. But we had no option. Even with that tightening, we still have by far the best funded schools and the best paid teachers.

PERTHNOW: Can you rule out further cuts to public education?

PREMIER: Not avoiding the question, but the biggest problem WA faces is the continuing loss of our legitimate share of GST revenues. And we lost money this year, for the coming financial year, we're likely to see a further cut of something like $780 million. That is grossly unfair and if the Commonwealth continues to redistribute WA money to the other states to that extent, we will have to have cuts in our areas of expenditure — and the two biggest areas are health and education. We are doing the best — we're keeping our budget in surplus, but it's becoming more and more difficult and essentially it's, if you like, a fiscal trap. This state is doing well in mining, almost all that money is being taken off us by the Grants Commission and given to other states, and yet this is the strongest economy — we're getting people in their tens of thousands coming to WA, looking for work, for a better life, a good lifestyle and that's the trap. Our population, our needs are going up, and yet Canberra is cutting our funds.

PERTHNOW: But some parents would argue why are we spending money on Elizabeth Quay and a new stadium when we're cutting public education? What do you have to say about that?

PREMIER: What I'd say to you and people listening, (is) get a life. It's about time that Perth grew up and became a more vibrant city, an attractive city for younger people, for families, even for older people. And Elizabeth Quay or the waterfront development has been talked about for 40 years. It will be the most attractive, vibrant part of Perth. The projects are well over halfway and next year it will be open. Already some land is being sold and it will get underway. It's fantastic and you can walk and chew gum at the same time, and this is about Perth being a better, more attractive place for people to come and stay, have great careers, raise a family, enjoy our beautiful weather and lifestyle.

PERTHNOW: One of the most talked about issues for our PerthNow readers is public transport and traffic congestion within the city. What are some of the ways you'd look at tackling congestion in Perth in the future?

PREMIER: The Liberal-National Government is in its second term and my second term as Premier. During our first term of government, the concentration of spending and effort was in our public health system, so the Fiona Stanley Hospital nearly opening, the children's hospital, two-thirds built, the Midland Health Campus, probably two-thirds built, Busselton, Hospital and so on and so on. Well before the election, I said during this term of Government, if we are re-elected our focus will be on transport — on road improvements, extending the freeway, widening the freeway, fixing up dangerous intersections with flyovers, and two big projects in public transport — the railway through the eastern suburbs servicing Belmont, the airport, and through to Forrestfield in that growth area, and the second one will be the light rail project, which has been deferred a little while but the light rail project which will go directly north of Perth out to Mirrabooka, service those inner city suburbs and then extend to the university and the new health centres.

PERTHNOW: That leads us into our Wildcard question from PerthNow reader Lorraine Collier. She wants to know when are you going to give WA light rail as you promised?

PREMIER: Look the project has been pushed back, but on the current timetable, we expect that to be operating in 2022, which sounds a little way away but it will take three to four years to build it. It's very complicated going through a built-up residential area so squeezing the tracks down through a residential area, there will probably have to be some land acquisitions, rezoning, planning and that work is going on, and the first report on the project will come to the Government in the next few months. When we announced that, no work had been done. To do light rail, all the planning, the engineering, the design, the procurement, and construction, all is in front of us. But that project, yes, delayed a little while, will still go ahead, and with a bit of luck, maybe some parts of it will start early.

PERTHNOW: We're heading into 12 months into your second term, what do you think would be your greatest failure since the March re-election?

PREMIER: We don't have failures, sometimes projects are more difficult. Our greatest success was an extraordinary election result a year ago, where in 2008, the Liberal party won 10 seats off Labor, we won a further five a year ago, so that was the highlight for me as a politician during the year. I think we had a difficult period following the election — people were tired, they had been campaigning for probably nine months, no summer holidays, no breaks, and I think some mistakes were made. And it was a time if there was going to be something that went wrong, it did go wrong. And I'm not dodging responsibility, I accept that, but some of the mistakes were actually made within government bureaucracies — not at a political level, but nevertheless we bear the responsibility — there were some muck-ups on EPA approvals, there were some delays on Fiona Stanley Hospital, not so much delays but people setting targets and talking about it as to when it would open when in fact those targets were never realistic, and I think there were a couple of announcements in our budget which when we looked at it carefully found that the background work hadn't been done — so I pulled those. That caused a bit of angst, but the mistakes had been made. I think that was an unsteady period post-election, the Government is right on track — we've got a good start to this year, we're getting on with our agenda, we're delivering what we promised and this is going to be a good year — these next couple of years are going to be good years for Western Australia.

PERTHNOW: We've seen recent incidents involving Serco and the use of their services. Do you think they can be trusted to run public services?

PREMIER: They do so under contract — they don't set policy, they don't make the big decisions. They just run administration so they've got a role and they've had a role in the prison system through successive governments, I might say. They run our prison system more efficiently, they tend to get better results in terms of programs for prisoners, certainly cost the taxpayer less and they're going to run some back-of-house services in Fiona Stanley Hospital. You cannot just simply say that every area — whether it be health, education or prisons — has to be all 100 per cent government. You can have a mix of both government employment and management, and private sector. So look we've had a spate of escapes from prisons over summer and that's not acceptable. Joe Francis, the Minister, is dealing with that, and the new Commissioner for Corrective Services, an ex-SAS commander, a pretty tough guy, he's only been in the job a couple of months, I think he will make a major difference and we will find that some of the cultural problems and old habits in the prison system will disappear very quickly and we'll get the sort of professional management, whether its government staff or Serco staff or someone else in our prisons.

PERTHNOW: Do you see that continuing as a long-term relationship though — Serco working with the government on public services?

PREMIER: In managing some facilities which we think they can manage at a lower cost and more efficiently, then government employs — but they will never control those services. They are simply employed to do a job, to provide security, to manage the food, to provide the programs for rehabilitation and the like, so they are just contractors, they are not decision-makers.

22.16 | 0 komentar | Read More

Perth Qantas flight cuts ‘extraordinary’

Qantas has announced a $252m half yearly profit loss and confirmed it will cut 5,000 full time jobs.

Record loss ... Qantas Chief Executive Alan Joyce announces it will cut 5000 jobs in a bid to dramatically cut costs following a $252 million first half loss. (Photo by Lisa Maree Williams/Getty Images) Source: Getty Images

AUSTRALIAN travellers can kiss goodbye to record low airfares as Qantas' move to cut staff and reduce services should spell the end for the country's domestic price war, analysts say.

In what has been the biggest shake-up in the airline's history, the Flying Kangaroo announced yesterday it would cut 5,000 staff, slash routes and cut or defer the arrival of 50 aircraft into its fleet as it seeks to make $2 billion in savings.

FOLLOW TODAY'S EVENTS ON QANTAS' DECISION TO AXE 5000 WORKERS

Australian Business Traveller editor David Flynn said the crisis gripping Qantas should force a major rethink of its business strategy, including a decision to step back from continuing to drive prices down.

"I don't think Qantas could afford to suddenly jump prices up again because they're still in a dogfight with Virgin Australia," he said. "However, I don't expect — especially in the premium market where they are currently fighting hard with Virgin Australia — to see prices continue to go down."

Announcing a $252 million half-year loss, Qantas chief executive Alan Joyce outlined plans to retire its 15 remaining Boeing 767s and six Boeing 747s, along with the deferment of deliveries for eight remaining Airbus A380s and other aircraft.

PM Tony Abbott tells the parliament his concern about an emergency debt guarantee to help Qantas, saying that help for one company would have to be offered to all.

He also announced the airline would exit underperforming routes and change the aircraft it operates on others.

This includes operating Sydney-Singapore and Brisbane-Singapore flights with newer Airbus A330-300 aircraft rather than the existing Boeing 747s, and cutting Perth-Singapore flights altogether from May, which Qantas said have been "underperforming for quite some time."

It will also reduce the number of wide-body aircraft in its domestic fleet, with the remaining aircraft focused on East-West routes and peak Sydney-Melbourne-Brisbane services.

Analysts say these changes are likely to be just the first round of major route cuts and changes, with Qantas flights to Johannesburg, New York and Tokyo to remain under the microscope.

Pacific Aviation Consulting managing director Oliver Lamb said the decision to cut Perth flights was, in particular, extraordinary.

It will mean that Qantas operates no international services from outside the eastern seaboard and sees the airline step away from the country's fastest growing city.

"It's the fastest growing city, its economy is very strong, but Qantas doesn't offer any international services," Mr Lamb said.

"You'd have to go back a long way to find when they last didn't offer any flights from Perth."

Shocked as Qantas announce job losses across Australia ... Flight attendants leave Qantas' Melbourne terminal. Picture Ian Currie. Source: News Corp Australia

WA Tourism Minister Liza Harvey said the end of regular international flights by Qantas from Perth came without warning and is a blow to the State's tourism.

She admitted she had not been told by the company of the intention to dump the route.

``Was I informed prior to this morning's announcement? No I wasn't, but I have been briefed today,'' she told Parliament.

Ms Harvey said the news was a blow to WA's ambition to raise the worth of the state's tourism industry to $12 billion by 2020.

And it also dented a deal announced last September, where the state government signed a $7.65 million marketing deal with Qantas involving advertising in tourism markets such as Singapore.

Ms Harvey denied the airline's move undermined that deal.

``We have a broad strategy with respect to our co-operative marketing arrangements with a range of airlines,'' she said.

Qantas said WA remained an important market, with a possibility of seasonal services on international routes on demand.

``Our new seasonal Perth-Auckland service added almost 8,000 seats over the busy Christmas and summer holiday period to what was a monopoly route,'' the company said in a statement.

``This was very popular with our customers and this is the kind of opportunity we'll look to do more of in future.''

Qantas said they will also operate a number of supplementary services to cater for customers travelling over the peak holiday season in July.

In another development that may affect travellers, the Transport Workers Union also yesterday threatened strike action if the Federal Government does not meet with Qantas to find ways to avoid job cuts

"But if (Treasurer) Joe Hockey's not prepared to do that, then it's industrial action that the workforce should be considering," national secretary Tony Sheldon said.

"In this country, if the government won't stand up for jobs and for the Australian icon, then we will."

Since taking the helm at Qantas in November 2008, the airline has posted its first ever loss, slashed thousands of jobs, frozen workers pay, grounded its entire fleet and almost gone belly up. So is it bad luck or bad management? We give you Mr Joyce. so you can judge for yourself...

22.16 | 0 komentar | Read More

Premier defends ‘get a life’ line

Premier Colin Barnett has defended telling West Australians critical of big ticket projects to "get a life" during his first Coffee with Colin segment on PerthNow. Picture: Marie Nirme Source: News Corp Australia

In question time, Labor leader Mark McGowan called on Premier Colin Barnett to resign or apologise for telling West Australians who don't agree with big ticket projects to "get a life". Picture: File image Source: News Limited

OPPOSITION Leader Mark McGowan used question time in State Parliament to demand Premier Colin Barnett resign for telling West Australians critical of his big ticket projects to "get a life".

But the Premier, whose controversial comment came as he spoke to PerthNow during the first round of a regular Coffee with Colin segment, defended his stance.

Mr Barnett told PerthNow this morning West Australians who believed Elizabeth Quay and Perth's new stadium should pay the price for education cuts should "get a life".

Mr McGowan seized on the first opportunity in question time this afternoon to demand Mr Barnett resign — or at the very least apologise.

But Mr Barnett stood by his comments, talking up the multi-million dollar developments.

He said Mr McGowan also needed to "lighten up", before telling him to "lighten up Manhattan".

The Premier said it was about time Perth grew up and became a vibrant city.

Mr Barnett denied he was attacking parents.

HOW THE 'GET A LIFE' SPAT WENT DOWN:

MCGOWAN: Premier I refer to your astounding comments on PerthNow this morning in which you told parents who were worried about education cuts and your wrong priorities, to and I quote, "Get a life", and I ask, Do you think it is befitting of a Premier of Western Australia to tell concerned parents to get a life and will you now apologise for these disgraceful remarks?

BARNETT: What a lot of nonsense. I did not tell parents of school children to get a life. Was there a parent calling in? No. It was a paraphrased question from the journalist about what she described as cuts to education and therefore should we not proceed with things like the stadium or Elizabeth Quay, my response was along the lines 'well I think, you know, people need to get a life… who was the parent that asked me the question? No one…

BARNETT: Yes we all need to get a life and we all need to be conscious that Government has broader, oh Mr Speaker it is pointless.

BARNETT: You cannot simply say that we will do nothing else because of the importance of those areas and one of the critical things for Western Australia and for the City of Perth is to develop and become a truly international city. Part of that is the waterfront development, part of that is having a world class stadium which will be not the biggest, but the second biggest, but by far the best stadium in Australia.

MCGOWAN: In light of these disgraceful remarks and your refusal to apologise why don't you take the advice of the Member for Hillarys and resign?

BARNETT: This is a sort of sanitizing, political correctness, too afraid to express a view or use a colourful term. Well I'm sorry, I'm not that sort of person. So my response to you and his supplementary is 'Lighten up Manhattan'.

22.16 | 0 komentar | Read More

Police probe grim find of body in fire zone

Police believe all signs are pointing to a body found in a City Beach scrub fire zone being a non-suspicious death.

POLICE believe all signs are pointing to a body found in a City Beach scrub fire zone being a non-suspicious death.

They have spent this afternoon investigating the grim discovery following reports of an explosion that appears to have caused a scrub fire.

PerthNow understands that police believe the person's death is not suspicious.

It's understood also the body found is that of a man. His age has not yet been released.

A fire in scrub near West Coast Highway and Rochdale Road in the Floreat-City Beach area. Picture: Lee Marsden

"All indications are is that it's a non a suspicious death," a police spokeswoman said just before 5:30pm.

However, Nine News reported tonight the person who died was a 20-year-old man whose death was a direct result of the explosion.

Earlier, Inspector Dominic Wood said witnesses heard an explosion before a scrub fire started at the corner of West Coast Highway and Rochdale Road.

A police roadblock as officers investigate the discovery of a body in City Beach following reports of an explosion that appears to have caused a scrub fire. Picture: Justin Benson-Cooper

Insp Wood said firefighters found the body of a person as they fought the blaze.

"As a result of that fire, firefighters have attended the scene...at that stage fire officers have discovered there was a deceased person at that location," Insp Wood said.

"At that point we've brought in some additional resources the major crime squad and local detectives to start the investigation of who that person is and the circumstances."

A white van police are interested in. Human remains were found in a City Beach scrub fire zone. Picture: Justin Benson-Cooper

Insp Wood said the bomb squad had also been called in to help investigate because witnesses had reported an explosion.

"When anyone says there has been an explosion we don't take any chances," he said.

Insp Wood added a white van near the scene of the fire would be examined by police.

A police roadblock as officers investigate the discovery of a body in City Beach following reports of an explosion that appears to have caused a scrub fire. Picture: Justin Benson-Cooper

"Clearly a priority for us is to investigate that white van," he said.

Insp Wood urged anyone with information about the van to come forward.

Bushfire advice has been issued for people in the south western part of City Beach in the Town of Cambridge.

Fire trucks leave the scene in City Beach where a body was discovered in a scrub fire zone. Picture: Justin Benson-Cooper

Fire crews are on the scene and an aircraft has also been sent to assist ground crews.

Rochdale Road between Stephenson Avenue and West Coast Highway has been closed.

22.16 | 0 komentar | Read More

Seven to air Corby program

CHANNEL Seven will air unseen footage of Schapelle Corby on its Sunday Night program this weekend.

The segment, which the network is promoting on its Facebook page, is a pull-together of previously unseen footage of Corby and her interactions with family members in order to get past the Indonesian intervew ban.

Mercedes, may be interviewed as the ban does not apply to her.

Aspokeswomanfor Sunday Night told News Corp: "There's no interview with Schapelle, and no payment was made.

Schapelle Corby is ecstatic as she is driven away from Kerobokan.

"It's a compelling piece of journalism that captures the moments and days after Schapelle stepped behind the door of the villa and experienced freedom for the first time in nine-and-a-half years."

The footage shows an overwhelmed Corby, her face shrouded in the scarf and hat she wore when leaving prison, being driven from Kerobokan.

The footage shows a beaming Schapelle Corby Skypeing her relatives in Australia after her release.

Hunched over in the back seat, Croby utters her first words since leaving prison: "I feel like a, I feel like a crab."

Arriving at the exclusive Sentosa Seminyak resort, Corby squeals in delight as she greets her family, jumping and down in excitement.

Her brother-in-law Wayan, the husband of her sister Mercedes, thrusts his fist into the air in jubilation.

Taking her scarf and hat off, she embraces her sister Mercedes and hugs her nephew and niece.

Schapelle Corby has been holed up in a luxury Bali resort courtesy of Seven since her release after serving nine years for smuggling drugs into Bali.

The Indonesian government has blocked her tell-all interview with veteran journalist Mike Willesee, threatening to breach her parole and send her back to jail.

22.16 | 0 komentar | Read More

Victim’s mum backs shark challenge

Thousands of people are protesting at beaches around the country against the WA government's catch-and-kill shark laws.

THE WA government will be forced to defend the legality of its controversial shark kill policy, after marine activists Sea Shepherd recruited the mother of a fatal attack victim to support their opposition in court.

At a WA Supreme Court hearing set down for next week, Sea Shepherd's lawyers will challenge the legality of Premier Colin Barnett's decision to place baited drumlines off Perth beaches and the south-west.

And Sharon Burden - whose son Kyle was mauled to death while bodyboarding in Bunker Bay in 2011 - has put her name on the action, saying opponents to the so-called cull had been given no option.

``When you lose someone close to you something like this means you have to keep reliving the event - but there are times when you feel strongly about something and you have to follow through,'' Ms Burden said.

Sharon Burden, mother of Kyle Burden, who was taken by a great white in 2011 at Bunker Bay, has backed a challenge against the WA shark-kill policy.

``We were not given the opportunity as a community to fully explore this issue, before it was haphazardly undertaken.''

Sea Shepherd will be seeking an immediate injunction to have the drumlines removed, on the basis an exemption granted to itself by the WA government to allow the killing of tiger, great white and bull sharks was illegal.

The legal action will be led by Patrick Pearlman, principal solicitor for the Environmental Defender's Office in WA, and prominent barrister Richard Hooker.

A Tiger shark pulled up on the drum lines off the coast of Dunsborough Credit: Animal Amnesty

``The law has not been complied with, there should have been a debate - this program has been fired from the hip from the beginning,'' Mr Pearlman said.

``In Sea Shepherd's opinion the rule of law is not being followed, and since the date this program was tendered the state have all been acting in violation of the law and conducting what are punishable offences.''

The government has faced vitriolic opposition to the policy since it was announced late last year, with rallies on Perth and south-west beaches, and close scrutiny of the drumline activity.

An undersized tiger shark that was hooked off Yallingup. Picture: Animal Amnesty and Sea Shepherd

Dozens of tiger sharks - but no great whites - have been caught by the hooks, with daily photos of captured sharks posted on social media.

Sea Shepherd says it is seeking a fast-tracked injunction to remove the drumlines immediately on the basis a judicial review needs to be conducted into the way the 'shark mitigation' program was rolled out.

A court hearing is set to take place next Tuesday, March 4.

Ms Burden said she hoped the story of her son would help highlight larger environmental issues, for which he and she shared a passion.

``Kyle's story has really brought a focus on bigger issues that we need to consider as a community,'' she said.

Afer initially declining to comment because the matter was heading to court, Mr Barnett later said he was confident the policy would stand up to the legal challenge, which he claimed the government had anticipated.

``The West Australian government is absolutely confident that the policy in place is the right policy and we intend to continue it,'' Mr Barnett told reporters.

``And that's why we took great care, both in terms of processes at a state level and at a commonwealth level, and we are confident that that is done in the right way.''

And he said the policy was here to stay.

``We intend to continue it through next summer as well,'' Mr Barnett said.

``The decision that we took was not easy - no-one takes any satisfaction out of seeing any creature killed - but I think the decision taken by government was that the protection of life comes first, and I think the vast majority of the community support that.''

22.16 | 0 komentar | Read More

Rent rort losses on the rise

Taylor Cousins and Claire Lopaty, who were duped of $900 from a Gumtree advertisement when they were looking for a rental property in the city. Source: News Limited

PROPERTY scams have more than doubled in WA in the past two years.

West Australians are falling victim to more cons than ever from online fraudsters posting advertisements on classifieds websites.

Last year, 27 property scams were reported to the Department of Consumer Protection – a rise of 14 from 2012.

The amount victims lost also increased, with a total of $112,095 lost to property scammers, up from $84,000 in 2012.

"The real estate sales scam was the highest with a loss of $70,000," Consumer Protection commissioner Anne Driscoll said.

"On average, the rental scams victims lost $1619."

More WA Real Estate news

Rental scams had the most victims in 2013, with 26 people falling victim to bogus online property advertisements, paying scammers bonds and other payments to secure a home.

"Consumer Protection is receiving a growing number of reports in relation to rental scams, where properties that may not even be available are advertised on classifieds websites by scammers who don't own or manage the property in question," Ms Driscoll said.

"We understand the scammers scour legitimate real estate sales and property rental websites to copy pictures and address details for their bogus property for rent ads.

"The scammers then place the ads on free listing websites and substitute an agency's contact details with their own.

"Usually they have an email address with one of the free email account providers.

"Once prospective tenants get in touch, the scammers tend to come up with various excuses as to why the premises cannot be visited prior to payment of deposit, bond or rent."

Alongside bogus rental property deals, some West Australians are falling victim to real estate scams in which victims are tricked into thinking they are buying a property.

In WA, one real estate scam was recorded in 2013 that resulted in the victim losing $70,000.

"(The) consumer met a man in Liberia, Africa, while on holiday who offered a property for sale," Ms Driscoll said.

"(The) consumer agreed and when he got back to Australia he transferred the money to his bank account for the purchase of the property."

WA Commissioner for Consumer Protection Anne Driscoll Source: Supplied

The consumer realised it was a scam when he did not receive the documents and contracts.

According to Consumer Protection, one in 20 Australians will fall victim to some form of scam.

Claire Lopaty, 22, of Perth was one of them.

The young traveller was desperate to find a rental property, so she and her friends posted ads seeking rental properties in Perth.

"We had a man from Rockingham tell us he had an apartment in Perth for rent," she said. "We met in person and gave him a $900 bond."

But, unbeknown to Ms Lopaty, the man she met was a fraudster who had used photos from a real estate website to lure them in.

"He kept changing the move-in day until later, ignored all our calls, and when we threatened to call the police about us wanting our money back, he finally called us back acting really defensive," Ms Lopaty said.

"We looked up his name online and apparently he had scammed multiple people."

Although she reported the scam to Consumer Protection, her bond money wasn't able to be recovered. Ms Lopaty said now she looked back on it, she was "really dumb" when looking for a rental property.

"Don't post anything about yourself being young and travelling because scammers take advantage of that," she said.

"If you're going to post an ad seeking a houseshare or apartment room to rent, put as little info about yourself as possible and don't come across as desperate.

"Reply to ads that allow you to view the house right away. "Houseshares seem to be very safe bets I have noticed since the scamming incident.

"But, don't trust 'independent realtors'."

HOW TO AVOID THE PAIN OF A PROPERTY SWINDLE

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Man admits killing ex at Como hair salon

Pregnant stab victim Selina Bello was 'so excited' about being a new mum and was looking forward to her baby's November birth.

A PERTH woman whose mother was murdered at their Como hair salon has expressed relief her killer today pleaded guilty to the shocking crime.

James Bill Payet, 48, today pleaded guilty in Stirling Magistrates Court to the murder of his former partner Angela Ferullo, 43, at the South Terrace salon in June last year.

Ms Ferullo's pregnant daughter Selina Bello was also stabbed, but survived the attack.

On her Facebook page, Ms Bello, who has since given birth to a son, said: "Today we finally received some justice."

"Guilty pleas were entered and now we can finally move forward from the hell we have endured for the past 7 months.

Angela Ferullo who was murdered in her Como hair salon.

"Thank you to everyone who has supported myself and my family during this time.

"Mum, not a day goes by that we don't think about you and the great loss we have experienced hopefully now you can rest easy knowing that justice has and will be served love you always x."

Outside court, Ms Bello wept and told reporters she was relieved that Payet had pleaded guilty.

"Me and my family can finally put this behind us," she said.

Selina Bello and her baby boy Emilio.

Payet also admitted to wounding Ms Bello and grandmother-of-10 Peggy Kew, who was stabbed as she tried to intervene.

He pleaded guilty to murder, aggravated grievous bodily harm and aggravated unlawful wounding. Payet also pleaded guilty to unlawfully detaining a man in Success and doing an act that resulted in bodily harm.

Ms Bello and her mother were stabbed by Payet on the morning of June 24 last year as they worked at their hairdressing salon.

Ms Ferullo, a mother-of-four, died in hospital a short time later from her injuries.

James Bill Payet, who has pleaded guilty to murdering his ex-partner, Angela Ferullo, in her Como hairdressing salon.

Ms Bello was five months pregnant at the time.

She suffered serious injuries and spent more than a week in hospital and there were concerns that she would lose her precious baby.

She gave birth to her baby boy Emilio late last year.

Ms Bello told PerthNow just before last Christmas: "I thank God every day for the second chance we have been given and plan to live my life to its fullest."

A police officer places another bunch of flowers at the scene of the fatal stabbing at a Como hair salon.

Ms Kew, who threw a chair at Payet during the attack in a heroic attempt to get him to leave, spoke exclusively to PerthNow just days after the incident.

"'All I could think of was picking up the chair and hitting him on the head – and that's what I did,'' Ms Kew said last June.

"But I don't feel like a hero at all,'' she said. ''If you were to ask me who is the real hero, it's Angela, Selina's mother."

Payet will be sentenced in the Supreme Court on May 13.

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Coffee with Colin: ask your questions

PerthNow readers get the chance to ask Premier Colin Barnett the questions. Picture: Richard Hatherly Source: News Limited

READERS have chosen the five issues they most want to put to Premier Colin Barnett – but it's not too late to influence the rundown.

Political reporter Yasmine Phillips will press Mr Barnett on sharks, education cuts, traffic congestion, Serco and his biggest regret since last year's re-election based on the more than 1100 votes in our reader poll.

Over a cup of coffee on Thursday, she will be your advocate on the issues that matter most.

The poll is still open, and while sharks and education cuts are unlikely to be topped, there is still a chance that your issue will make the top five if you vote.

Mr Barnett will also be asked a "wild card question" chosen from the hundreds of comments made on the article and PerthNow's Facebook and Twitter pages.

Is there a question you really want answered? Write your question in the comments below.

What do you want us to ask the Premier?

>

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Freo pressure too much for Dogs

Fremantle have scored their first win of the pre-season, too good for the Western Bulldogs by 28 points.

Michael Walters starred with four goals for Fremantle. Picture: Wayne Ludbey Source: News Corp Australia

YOU can outrun Fremantle, you can get lucky against them, and you can even beat them with sustained individual brilliance.

But no one, repeat no one, out-pressures a Fremantle side coached by Ross the Boss.

Last night a Western Bulldogs side with the patterns and pressure of a young Geelong outfit on the rise did just that against a full strength Dockers outfit.

It was only the NAB Challenge, it only lasted for three quarters, and the Dockers still flexed their impressible muscles to effortlessly draw away.

And yet a side that for Brendan McCartney's first 30 games was so easy to play against brought the heat like never before.

When Lyon picks a side with 20 players from last year's Grand Final you know he is playing for keeps.

EVERY SUPERCOACH SCORE FROM DOGS v DOCKERS

His Dockers spent three quarters absorbing the best the Dogs could dish out, then doled out some of their own tough love.

Still, it was hard not to love so much of what the Dogs did last night despite a 28-point loss.

Adam Cooney (26 possessions) rediscovered his afterburners, the Dogs led by 14 points at half time, and managed 24 shots (a wayward 9.15) against the miserly Dockers.

None of it meant as much as the swarming Dogs hunting in a pack against 2013 Grand Finalists Fremantle and for a time forcing them into turnover after turnover.

Midway through the second term Matthew Pavlich was surging into space with the deadly Michael Walters needing only to find him in space.

Less than 60 seconds later the Dogs had not only repelled that attacking thrust, they had forced the Dockers 120 metres backward by sheer pressure and numbers at the ball.

Scott Gumbleton was a dejected figure after hobbling to the bench late in the first term. Picture: Wayne Ludbey Source: News Corp Australia

Koby Stevens' refusal to give up the chase saw him rewarded with a goal from the boundary to cap the ultimate Bulldogs team goal.

And with Tom Liberatore being kept quiet by Ryan Crowley — building a reputation as one of the AFL's great all-time taggers - the kids and Cooney just kept stepping up.

Stevens, recruited as part of the Brian Lake deal, and Mitch Wallis (11 tackles), rediscovered as a tagger, joined Jackson Macrae (30 touches) as the best of the emerging pack.

When Luke Dalhaus fought tooth and nail to overcome two Dockers and set up Stewart Crameri with the simplest of shots, the Dogs should have led at three quarter time.

By then they had cracked 100 contested possessions to Fremantle's humble 72, as clear as any indicator of their willingness to crack in.

Crameri missed, and pretty soon the dam wall broke.

BLOW: GUMBLETON TO MISS A MONTH

The clinical, battle-hardened Dockers just worked into the contest as a team with stars like Michael Barlow and David Mundy does on a weekly basis.

They would pour on seven consecutive goals, with the Dogs kicking 2.9 in the second half with Stewart Crameri quiet and inaccurate when he did find the ball.

Walters (four goals) got on the end of Fremantle's second half dominance, but it was Aaron Sandilands who controlled the air.

He was exceptional against All-Australian ruckman Will Minson, winning not just his usual tally of hit-outs (47, a dozen to advantage) but thrusting his hands high to mark around the ground.

So by game's end, Fremantle had an ideal tune-up for their season-opener against Collingwood in 16 days time and the Doggies were had their own substantial gains too.

WESTERN BULLDOGS: 0.2.3 (15) 0.7.6 (48) 0.8.10 (58) 0.9.15 (69)

FREMANTLE: 0.4.4 (28) 0.5.4 (34) 0.9.5 (59) 0.15.7 (97)

GOALS

WESTERN BULLDOGS: Giansiracusa 2, Stevens, Cooney, Dahlhaus, Hunter, Wood, Honeychurch, Crameri

FREMANTLE: Walters 4, Ballantyne 2, Pavlich 2, Mzungu 2, Barlow, Mayne, Sandilands, Mundy, Suban

BEST

WESTERN BULLDOGS: Stevens, Macrae, Cooney, Wallis, Boyd, Morris, Giansiracusa

FREMANTLE: Sandilands, Mundy, Barlow, Walters, Crowley, Johnson

NEW BOY

Jackson Macrae is in his second season, but he plays like a seasoned veteran. He kicks is beautifully, finds space effortlessly and doesn't mind putting his nose in the trough. The former pick 6 is a 200-game certainty who oozes class.

Mitch Honeychurch showed glimpses he could be a great value pick (selection 60 at last year's draft) for the Bulldogs. Picture: Wayne Ludbey Source: News Corp Australia

HIGHLIGHTS REEL

Play of the day came from new Dog Mitch Honeychurch, who embodied the pressure applied to Fremantle when he harassed Paul Duffield so relentlessly the Docker retreated over the goal line.

The deliberately rushed behind was converted with a lovely left-foot banana.

WHITEBOARD

Tom Williams has waited nine years to become a key forward at the Dogs, and while the former defender eased into the action off the subs bench he did enough to show a position in attack might suit him best. The injury-cursed Williams is surprisingly fast, creating separation with his opponent.

After his recent injury woes, Tom Williams would have been happy just to get through unscathed. Picture: by Michael Dodge/Getty Images Source: Getty Images

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