Latest news with #Kimberley
ABC News
a day ago
- Entertainment
- ABC News
Bangarra Dance Theatre's Illume honours 'Ngarrgidj Morr'
For the Bardi and Jawi people, 'Ngarrgidj Morr (the proper path to follow) is a way of living that ensures symbiotic harmony. It's a principle that guides the work of contemporary artist and Goolarrgon Bard man Darrell Sibosado, and certainly applies to his forthcoming collaboration with Bangarra Dance Theatre's artistic director Frances Rings. Together they're bringing Darrell's artwork to life in another visual form — dance. With Bangarra Dance Theatre set to premier its latest masterpiece Illume, Darrell and Frances discuss how they're creating a dance vocabulary that speaks to the very essence of light and life in the west Kimberley region. Plus for Word Up, Brooke Wandin shares the Woiwurrung word for 'basket'. You can find more information about Bangarra Dance Theatre's new production Illume here.
ABC News
3 days ago
- Health
- ABC News
Child rapist Stephen White to be released from prison despite recent parole breach
A man who raped and tried to kill a five-year-old girl in Western Australia's far north in 2001, and recently attacked a support worker while on parole following his 22-year jail term, is set to be released into the community again. Stephen Neil White sent shock waves through the Kimberley community in 2001 after abducting and attacking a young girl while on a camping trip. On June 18, 2001, White befriended the girl's guardian and dragged the child away from a campsite in Kununurra before raping her. He also inflicted a life-threatening injury to the child by striking her over the head with a rock before taking her to the hospital. White spent almost 22 years in prison for the attack and was released in December 2023 on a three-year supervision order. Then in June 2024 he attacked a disability support worker with a knife and was subsequently arrested and sent back to prison. His offending in WA followed an eight-year prison sentence in South Australia after he raped a 73-year-old woman while in his twenties. On Monday a Supreme Court justice decided to release White from prison under strict supervision, with the 59-year-old agreeing to abide by 67 conditions. Justice Fiona Seaward determined the risk of reoffending could be managed by stringent management of White's life which will involve 24-hour NDIS supervision, seven days a week. The court heard White had an NDIS plan valued at more than $800,000 per year to support his intellectual disabilities. As part of his release White must regularly report to police, abide by a curfew, not consume alcohol and not engage with children. He must reside at a specific address, not leave Western Australia, comply with rehabilitation programs and not attend public events where children may be present. Justice Seaward's decision to release White was informed by a psychiatric report which detailed his history of schizophrenia, an intellectual disability, and an acquired brain injury. The report found White had made progress over recent years while incarcerated but remained "at a high risk of serious sexual reoffending" if not subjected to supervision conditions. "Mr White's primary risk for sexual offending would be both predatory and opportunistic towards predominantly vulnerable females of various ages," the report reads. "Warning signs of reoffending would include his relapse into alcohol and cannabis use and disengagement from his therapists and supervising agencies." However, the report found White's risk of reoffending could be managed if he was released on a strict supervision order. In opting to release White, Justice Seaward said she had "formed the view the supervision order will ensure adequate protection of the community." "In reaching this conclusion I am also satisfied on the balance of probabilities that Mr White will substantially comply with the standard conditions of the supervision order," she said. White will be under a supervision order until December 2026.
ABC News
3 days ago
- Business
- ABC News
Indigenous groups vow to keep fighting extension of Woodside's North West Shelf
Traditional owners and environmentalists have pledged to continue fighting Woodside's massive North West Shelf (NWS) project by switching their focus to the development of the Browse Basin gas fields off WA's Kimberley coast. The groups have long argued Woodside's industrial developments pose a threat to the ancient rock art in the Murujuga National Park on the Burrup Peninsula. On Wednesday, the federal government approved the company's proposal to continue its NWS operation until 2070. Browse is one of the country's biggest untapped resource projects and is considered a crucial gas supply for the NWS. "See you in court," was the reaction from Raelene Cooper, a Mardudhunera woman who launched a legal bid last week in the federal court to prevent the extension. Ms Cooper's son, Mark Clifton, said the legal fight to protect Murujuga was far from over. "We're standing side by side together as we did the last time," he said. Murujuga custodian Josie Alec said it was a "disgrace" to think industry and culture could co-exist. "This is the battle of all battles," she said. She said there were legal challenges "in the wings" and traditional owners would look towards the outstanding approval for Woodside's Browse project to disrupt the future of the North West Shelf. "There's always hope," she said. "[Browse] is 900 kilometres of pipeline through a pristine seabed which also will feed into [the North West Shelf] "Without that gas, this processing facility can't go ahead." University of Western Australia emeritus law professor Alex Gardner said there was an arguable case to challenge the yet to be approved Browse project off the Kimberley coast. The decision to extend the license for the North West Shelf until 2070 is seen a vital stepping stone to the development of Browse, which is likely to be the mother of all environmental fights. Woodside plans to develop 50 production wells in the Browse basin off the Kimberley coast, which will be connected to the North West Shelf processing plant through a 900-kilometre pipeline. If approved, most of the gas from Browse will be exported overseas, which could provide an avenue to launch legal action. Professor Gardner said judicial authorities in Europe would take 'scope three' emissions — those emitted in the countries where the gas is exported — into account when assessing the viability of a new gas field. "Maybe that's the clue here," he said. The proximity of the Browse gas field to Scott Reef has alarmed environmental groups. The reef is home to endangered whales, turtles and thousands of corals. Greenpeace said it was "appalled" by the approval of the North West Shelf extension, vowing to campaign against the Browse project. "We don't have any faith that [Woodside] are a safe operator to be able to have a production this close and at this scale to a pristine reef," WA campaign lead Jeff Bice said. "We know now that we have to increase the pressure to make sure that Environment Minister [Murray] Watt doesn't then approve the Browse proposal. "That's the whole purpose that Woodside made this extension and it's a terrible, dirty, polluting project that puts endangered species at risk."
West Australian
3 days ago
- Sport
- West Australian
GNFL milestone: Railways Matt Kimberley chalks up game 150 this weekend against Northampton
When Railways travel to Kalbarri this weekend to take on Northampton, they will be celebrating one of their best in Matt Kimberley as he gears up for game 150. Beginning his football journey at Railways as a junior, Kimberley worked his way up the ranks before getting the opportunity to play his first league game in June 2014. That day, Kimberley kicked two goals in a 29-point win over Towns at the Rec. Kimberley has since forged himself quite the career, winning the GNFL's President's Medal (best player in colts) in 2015 as well as 56 best player listings, including 10 in finals. Railways coach John Reynolds said Kimberley was an important part of the club on and off the field. 'To see Matty come up from the juniors doing the hard yards is special,' he said. 'He's helped as a water boy, a runner and all those types of things. 'Then finally produced some good footy to be able to play league, and once he started that, there was no turning back.' Shining bright this year, Kimberley has been playing in one of the most talented midfields this season. 'He (Kimberley) is a leader off the field as well as on the field and the way he plays as well,' Reynolds said. 'So he's a massive part of the culture that we're building at the club — to have him around and he's consistently around, it's massive for me as a coach.' Reynolds said some of the younger players looked up to Kimberley and his level of consistency. 'Matty does his job, he's happy to put his hand up if there's a task on hand,' he said. 'He's just happy to go out there and play good football, that's what makes him so valuable.'
ABC News
3 days ago
- Climate
- ABC News
Giulia Bertoglio
Most nights in Leonora are filled with the sound of basketballs hitting the concrete. It's the sound of a small outback town coming back from difficult times. 2h ago 2 hours ago Thu 29 May 2025 at 5:46am Kimberley man Brian John Leering, 22, will spend at least four years behind bars over the 2022 attack. Fri 16 May Fri 16 May Fri 16 May 2025 at 8:06am Police have charged a 26-year-old WA woman with the murder of a 28-year-old man in what they allege is a family violence incident. Mon 12 May Mon 12 May Mon 12 May 2025 at 4:49am The Easter weekend coincided with a rash of youth offending in Halls Creek, including car thefts and burglaries. Locals understand there is no quick fix to the ongoing issue and want community-driven action. Sat 26 Apr Sat 26 Apr Sat 26 Apr 2025 at 2:29am Emergency services say they will continue to monitor ex-cyclone Errol as it moves through the Kimberley, bringing welcome rain ahead of the busy tourist season. Sat 19 Apr Sat 19 Apr Sat 19 Apr 2025 at 12:09am An entire community helps bring to life a giant puppet show, telling ancient stories of creation, in Western Australia's northernmost town. Sat 5 Apr Sat 5 Apr Sat 5 Apr 2025 at 3:21am Police have confirmed the body of a missing man last seen swimming near Kununurra has been found. Tue 1 Apr Tue 1 Apr Tue 1 Apr 2025 at 1:24am A desperate search and rescue operation resumes for a man who went missing after swimming at a Kimberley waterhole. Mon 31 Mar Mon 31 Mar Mon 31 Mar 2025 at 7:03am Communities in Western Australia's north are on high alert for the risk of flooding as ex-Tropical Cyclone Dianne continues to move inland after crossing the coast on Saturday morning. Sat 29 Mar Sat 29 Mar Sat 29 Mar 2025 at 2:15pm WA police confirm they have found the body of a 79-year-old man who capsized while rafting in the Kimberley's Drysdale River. Fri 28 Mar Fri 28 Mar Fri 28 Mar 2025 at 8:10am The Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) says Tropical Cyclone Dianne is expected to form around 8pm on Friday evening off the Kimberley coast . Fri 28 Mar Fri 28 Mar Fri 28 Mar 2025 at 7:27am The family of a boy with autism who went missing from a remote Kimberley community on the weekend have thanked everyone involved in his safe return after a community-wide search. Mon 24 Mar Mon 24 Mar Mon 24 Mar 2025 at 7:52am Just 20 per cent of high school students attend classes in WA's Fitzroy Crossing. But there's a glimmer of hope at another school which is trying to keep more kids engaged in their education. Fri 21 Mar Fri 21 Mar Fri 21 Mar 2025 at 4:02am There are hopes a new farm will provide a critical supply of both food and jobs for locals in Western Australia's remote Ngaanyatjarra Lands. Sat 15 Mar Sat 15 Mar Sat 15 Mar 2025 at 12:44am Graham Umbulgurri has to crawl to get around his home. He's among numerous people living with disability in unsuitable housing. Thu 13 Mar Thu 13 Mar Thu 13 Mar 2025 at 6:06am A woman who killed a relative in a public park in Kununurra is sentenced to eight years and six months in prison. Mon 10 Mar Mon 10 Mar Mon 10 Mar 2025 at 6:40am With regional bank branch closures, language barriers and limited technology, accessing financial institutions is tough for many remote Indigenous communities. Advocates are calling on the sector to do more. Sun 2 Mar Sun 2 Mar Sun 2 Mar 2025 at 1:45am Kimberley youth worker Tremane Baxter-Edwards says politicians are ignorant of what's happening on the ground. Fri 28 Feb Fri 28 Feb Fri 28 Feb 2025 at 11:36pm Maryanne Undalghumen was charged with murder, but her police interview admitting to the act could not be used as evidence in the trial. Thu 27 Feb Thu 27 Feb Thu 27 Feb 2025 at 11:25pm The Liberal candidate for the Kimberley is criticised after describing break-ins at his business as "Welcome to Country". Wed 19 Feb Wed 19 Feb Wed 19 Feb 2025 at 8:51am Caroline Banton and Christian Barnaby help look after gravesites in Kununurra, 3,000km north of Perth and thousands of kilometres away from their residents' loved ones. Thu 13 Feb Thu 13 Feb Thu 13 Feb 2025 at 4:58am Court has not sat in the West Australian community of Balgo for more than a year due to escalating local tensions, but residents say the ongoing suspension is limiting their access to justice. Sun 9 Feb Sun 9 Feb Sun 9 Feb 2025 at 1:09am A 40-year-old Kununurra man accused of seriously injuring a woman with his vehicle before fleeing the scene has been granted bail. Tue 4 Feb Tue 4 Feb Tue 4 Feb 2025 at 7:09am One day of heavy rain has been enough to leave the popular Kimberley tourist attraction overflowing at its earliest point in the season on record. Tue 28 Jan Tue 28 Jan Tue 28 Jan 2025 at 1:05am Community leaders in Wyndham say the Albanese government's pledge to widen trade at the Kimberley town's port and boost infrastructure is well overdue. Fri 10 Jan Fri 10 Jan Fri 10 Jan 2025 at 11:21pm
