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ABC News
a day ago
- Politics
- ABC News
WA government to introduce 'post and boast' laws amid concerns about protests, freedom of speech
Footage posted on social media of two stolen cars hooning around a regional town in Western Australia is the sort of thing that has prompted new legislation set to be debated in state parliament this week. The videos showed children with their faces covered, ramming police cars and bragging about their crimes. Governments around the country initially called on the Commonwealth to pressure social media platforms to crack down on the content, but they are also taking their own action. Last month, the WA government introduced a "post and boast" bill to parliament targeting so-called "crimefluencers" who boast about their offences on social media. Some groups are concerned the proposed law goes too far, is too broad and will have a "chilling effect" on free speech. So what will happen if the bill is passed as it stands? It is an amendment to the Criminal Code, named the "Post and Boast Offence". It would make it an offence to "disseminate material" that depicts a crime with the purpose of boasting or glorifying the criminal behaviour or encouraging others to engage in the same conduct. In essence, the government said it was targeting people who posted crimes on social media "that may humiliate, intimidate or victimise a person, increase the reputation or notoriety of the offender, glorify the conduct, or encourage copycat behaviour". That includes a range of criminal offences — assaults, stealing and robbery, property damage, dangerous or reckless driving, racial harassment and inciting racial hatred, and Nazi symbols and salutes. The legislation makes clear that a person can be prosecuted regardless of whether they have been prosecuted, or convicted of, the offence depicted in their post. The maximum penalty is three years in jail, one year more than the penalty for the same offence in Victoria. Courts will also be able to order the person to "remove, retract, recover, delete, destroy or forfeit to the state" the post in question, punishable by 12 months in jail and a $12,000 fine if they do not comply. The government says the changes aim to prevent further harm and re-traumatisation of victims, meaning there will be exceptions where people are not motivated by malicious intent and are posting for another reason. The list of activities that will not be penalised includes material posted "for a genuine scientific, educational, academic, artistic, literary, satirical or entertainment purpose". A journalist or news publisher reporting news or current affairs will not be prosecuted either. And there will be no penalty if the conduct depicted in the video is fictional or artificially created, if it was posted to denounce or warn against criminal behaviour. There are also specific exceptions for members of a law enforcement agency or intelligence agency. Critics say while the government claims the intent of the laws is to stop criminal behaviour, the legislation's impact will be much broader. They have pointed to legal comment by University of Western Australia Associate Professor of Law Murray Wesson, who concluded the proposed bill had "the potential to infringe the constitutionally protected implied freedom of political communication". "This is due to the extraordinary breadth of the offence, in particular the wide definitions of dissemination [which includes dissemination of material to one other person] and relevant offence [which includes unlawful assemblies and breaches of the peace]," he wrote. Conservation Council WA executive director Matt Roberts was concerned the law could stop peaceful protest, and would be "stifling the voice of the public" on what they wanted from the government. Critics like Mr Roberts argue people who took part in the successful protest movement in 2016 and 2017 to stop the Roe 8 highway extension and prevent the destruction of the Beeliar wetlands, backed by Labor at the time, could have been charged under this new legislation, but the government denies they would have been charged. At the time when Labor was in opposition, people chained themselves to construction machinery and pushed over gates, with police charging some protesters with trespassing, obstruction and refusing to give details to police. "Just for sharing that, people would be criminalised under these laws," Mr Roberts said. WA Greens leader Brad Pettitt labelled said the laws would have "a chilling effect ... on freedom of expression and the right to protest". He said the suffragettes who campaigned for women's right to vote could be imprisoned today under this law, and the Franklin River dam protests in Tasmania during the 1980s would have also been targeted Greens MLC Sophie McNeil said she would be charged over videos she had shared of activists raising attention about the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. "Right now you've got members of parliament who could be eligible for three years in jail simply for supporting peaceful, non-violent protest. And that's absolutely outrageous," she said. The legislation does not specifically mention protests as a legitimate defence from prosecution, but WA Premier Roger Cook was adamant protests were not the focus. He said the causes people were protesting against, and the activity of protest, were "absolutely not the focus of these laws". "Highlighting the behaviour or observing that the behaviour has taken place and commenting in relation to the cause will not of itself attract the attention of the post and boast laws," he said. The premier said the law's primary focus was crime, adding: "It's about people who glorify criminal and unlawful behaviour." He said he wanted to ensure people in WA could still protest and express their freedom of speech. The laws will be debated in parliament this week. Labor has the numbers to pass the laws, and the opposition has said it will be supporting the legislation. But opposition legal affairs spokesperson Nick Goiran questioned why only some criminal behaviour was included instead of all crime. He noted the Greens planned to refer the bill to parliament's Legislative Committee and added the opposition would support a three-month inquiry. Dr Pettitt said the Greens would push for a raft of amendments, namely excluding non-violent protest and ensuring it doesn't "criminalise a whole new generation of young people".
The Guardian
08-07-2025
- Science
- The Guardian
Invasive shot-hole borer from WA could wreak havoc on Sydney's heritage trees
The chief scientist of the Botanic Gardens of Sydney is warning of an imminent and deadly risk to the city's trees posed by an invasive beetle that has led to the removal of thousands of trees in Perth. The tiny polyphagous shot-hole borer, which is native to south-east Asia, is a 'fungus farmer' that burrows into trees and can spread a fungus that kills the host tree. The larvae of the beetle feed on the fungus, which then colonises the tree's water and nutrient conducting vessels and blocks them, causing stress and dieback that can eventually lead to the tree's death. The beetle was first detected in a tree in Perth in 2021 and a year later had spread to more than 200 locations across the West Australian capital. About 4,000 trees, including Moreton Bay and Port Jackson figs – which are not native to WA – have been cut down during attempts to eradicate the beetle. The beetle can't establish the fungus in all tree species, and it is not known how many types of trees in Australia – native and introduced – could become targets. Overseas, more than 400 host species have been recorded. The West Australian government has its own list of species found to be susceptible. The WA government announced last month that a national management group made up of state, territory and federal representatives had determined it was no longer feasible to try to eradicate the invasive pest and control strategies would shift to managing it. Brett Summerell, the chief scientist at Sydney's botanic garden, said they had been preparing for the beetle to make its way to eastern Australia, where it could have a huge impact in places such as formal gardens. 'We've been concerned for the past couple of years, but that concern is now heightened because the potential for it to be accidentally brought into the Sydney region is quite significant,' he said. Summerell said with the focus shifting from eradication to management in WA, it was 'inevitable' that the beetle would spread further in Perth, and there would be increased opportunities for it to expand – likely via the transportation of infested wood such as firewood. 'I just see the opportunities for people to pick up infested wood and travel east, even all the way to the Sydney region. That risk is going to be heightened because we're moving from eradication to management.' He said because it was not known how many tree species were susceptible, 'it's just a big experiment about to happen'. In Sydney there are large populations of known hosts such as plane and fig trees meaning there was the potential for large numbers to be severely affected, Summerell said. Shot-hole borers could impact the heritage values and appearance of popular parks and gardens – and the amenity trees provide through natural urban cooling. Carol Booth, the policy director at the Invasive Species Council, said it was critical that governments fund research to investigate more control options, including collaboration with overseas researchers. 'One of the highest priorities should be to contain it for as long as possible to give us the time to develop more effective control methods,' she said. The council wants to see more work to investigate the potential impacts of the shot-hole borer in Australia and which native species might be susceptible. 'The big unknown is what is going to be the environmental impact,' she said. 'What the impact is going to be overall in forests. It's really uncertain.' Signs of polyphagous shot-hole borer infestation included tiny entry and exit holes – about the size of the tip of a ballpoint pen – in a tree's bark and wilting and dieback of branches, often starting in the upper canopy. Summerell said monitoring for the presence of the beetle was critical, as was educating the public to identify the signs of a potential infestation, which could start in a backyard tree. 'The more sets of eyes we have looking for potential problems, the more likely we are to find it early,' he said. 'If there are little holes and dots in the trees where it's obvious a borer has been … they should report that.'
ABC News
01-07-2025
- ABC News
New WA road safety cameras capture about 130,000 instances of illegal driver behaviour
A man driving with his leg on the dashboard, apparent drug use and texting are among the extensive list of offending caught on high-tech cameras along Western Australian roads. The state government has deployed more than 100 mobile trailers in Perth, featuring mobile safety cameras that point down inside cars, since January. Nine have been deployed in regional towns in the Great Southern region since June 10, while two are fixed on the Kwinana Freeway. In that time, about 130,000 offences have been captured by the cameras and the range and extent of illegal activity behind the wheel has been "mind-boggling", according to Police Minister Reece Whitby. "We're seeing people doing the wrong thing again and again," Mr Whitby told a budget estimates hearing in parliament. "There's a new series of pictures that are just mind boggling in what they show. The series of images the minister is referring to include drivers operating a vehicle with an infant, dog or device on their lap. Others appear to show people using alcohol and drugs behind the weheel. More than 50,000 people were either not wearing a seatbelt or wearing it incorrectly. About 75,000 drivers were caught with their phone in their hand, or using it in another illegal way. The WA government claims the cameras, which use AI detection technology, are the most advanced in the country. The cameras are currently in the trial phase — at this stage caution notices are issued and fines are due to be implemented in October. "This is not about revenue raising but we need to have a transition which gets it right," Mr Whitby said. One of the major issues assessed by the use of the cameras is the repetitive nature of the offending. At its worst, one driver was caught offending 81 times. Another has been caught 74 times and there are a group of ten people that have been detected offending more than 42 times.
ABC News
19-06-2025
- Business
- ABC News
Here's what you need to know about the 2025 WA Budget
Not sexy but important. That's how Rita Saffioti described Western Australia's latest budget. She was right. Here's what you need to know. The WA government's been subsidising your electricity bills for the past five years. But not anymore — that tap has been turned off. In fact, water and power bills are set to rise 2.5 per cent. That hike equates to about $94 extra the average household will have to shell out annually. Your car rego is going up too, and the emergency services levy home-owners pay as part of their local government rates will be hiked five per cent. You'll still get $150 in energy bill relief over the next year courtesy of the federal government. The WA government said it's instead focused on trying to reduce rent prices by getting more houses built, and offering rent relief for the poorest households in arrears. It claims the average household will be $50 better off — but that only applies to households which use public transport, where flat fares have been introduced, and those with school-aged kids who can take advantage of student assistance payments and Kidsport vouchers. We're still rolling in cash and will continue to be for the foreseeable future. Thanks to iron ore, oil and gas, gold and a myriad of other resources, WA is expected to record a $2.4 billion surplus in 2025-26. And despite a forecast drop in iron ore royalties of almost 30 per cent over the next year due to an expected supply glut and weakening demand from China, that number will keep growing. By 2028-29 the surplus is predicted to be $2.8 billion. Despite this, WA's debt keeps rising. Following efforts to bring the state's debt level down when iron ore prices were at their peak, it has crept back up again to $33.6 billion this financial year and is set to hit $39 billion in 2025-2026. More than 300,000 people have moved to WA in the past five years, tipping the state's population to over three million, figures out today revealed. The government has put aside $1.4 billion to boost housing supply and slotted the same amount into health and mental health this year, including expanding ED departments at Royal Perth Hospital and St John of God Midland. An increased spend on education and training amounts to $1.8 billion, including extra money to for education assistants to support students with a disability. There's also more money for new schools and more fee-free TAFE courses. The government is keen to expand WA's manufacturing capability, dreaming up a Made in WA campaign to this end. It wants the next generation of electric buses and ferries to be built in WA, along with solar batteries, transmission towers and other electricity infrastructure. They expect its $13.8 billion port, rail, road and transport infrastructure package to create thousands of jobs. Unemployment is already the lowest in the nation at 3.4 per cent, and Premier Roger Cook has been keen to tout the more than 300,000 jobs created since Labor took office in 2017. The premier says the aim is "make more things in WA" and diversify the economy so the state is better shielded from international instability, weakening demand for its resources and the fall out from trade wars. He said it would allow the state to become a "renewable energy powerhouse and successfully navigate the global uncertainty we now face". As promised, there's $217 million to develop what the government is calling a "multi-use community, entertainment and sporting precinct" at Burswood. It's downplaying the racing car aspect — but the budget papers leave little room for doubt that it's full steam ahead for the controversial project. Other community endeavours include $30 million to upgrade women's sporting facilities — mostly change rooms at local sports grounds — and $60 million for an NRL team. It's a pet peeve for the opposition leader — Basil Zempilas coined the ''Rita's racetrack and Roger's rugby team" taunts during the election campaign — and he's not taking his foot off the gas today.
News.com.au
19-06-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
True AFL fixture 2025 winners, losers revealed after Scott Pendlebury Alastair Clarkson outburst
North Melbourne coach Alastair Clarkson set the cat among the pigeons in the AFL world on Saturday night when he dropped a fixture swipe in the middle of his post-match press conference. Since round 5 Clarkson's Roos have played in the Barossa Valley, Docklands, Adelaide Oval, Hobart, the MCG, Bunbury and Optus Stadium. READ THE FULL FIXTURE WINNERS AND LOSERS AT CODE SPORTS Alastair Clarkson raised eyebrows with a jab at the Pies last week. Picture: Daniel Carson/AFL Photos via Getty Images Although two of those games were home fixtures sold by the club, in a deal with the WA government to net North $2.5m, the frequent flyer miles were not lost on the coach. Especially when comparing it to rival Collingwood who has travelled outside of Melbourne three times. 'I would like to be like the Pies and play at the MCG most weeks,' Clarkson said. 'I ran into Scott Pendlebury (Collingwood captain) on the plane when I came back from the Hall of Fame on Wednesday. 'He was laughing about the amount we have had to travel compared to the gifts they get playing at the MCG on a regular basis. The Collingwood side are able to generate revenue from crowds and North aren't in that position at this current time. 'We need to get on the road and play our games in Tassie, in this case WA and we are happy to do so. If we don't it puts the competition and our club in a perilous state if we can't balance the books. 'It's an important part of any organisation and we are happy to do so and if we had got all the things right in our game we would have won this game of footy and we just didn't get there.' The Bombers have been smashed by footy's 2025 fixture. Picture:But are the Roos really the biggest losers in the AFL fixture? Through an analysis of travel distance, opponent injury luck and draw difficulty, the real AFL fixture loser can be revealed as Essendon. Hit by injuries as hard as any side, Essendon has had no luck going its way. So far this year, opponents have entered games against the Bombers with an average of 6.1 players out injured, the lowest number in the league. Basically, that means the Bombers have been playing against sides closer to full strength than any other team. In tallying up travel time, only Hawthorn will spend more time in the air than Essendon in 2025. Where does your club's luck rank? CODE SPORTS has broken down the full fixture wins, losses and quirks for every club.
