What's happening in Perth

A year after Jefferey Epstein’s most prominent abuse survivor died by suicide at her rural West Australian property, her brothers are calling for a public inquest and a formal review of police actions they believe failed to protect her.

The incident made headlines after it was revealed one of the accused had been recently released from immigration detention in a controversial High Court ruling.

A sacred waterhole used for thousands of years has run dry for the first time in living memory, with Traditional Owners blaming years of unsustainable water pumping by Rio Tinto.

Follow our live coverage here.

Whale shark swims, manta ray encounters, scenic flights over Ningaloo Reef, and Aboriginal cultural tours are now all available at half price, after the State Government launched a new voucher program to bring visitors to the Coral Coast.

The Ningaloo Adventure Vouchers apply to eligible tours and experiences in Exmouth, Coral Bay, and Carnarvon and are valid from today until June 30th, or until they sell out. Bookings can be redeemed any time before November 30th.

The scheme is part of a $1.45 million package the Cook Government has rolled out to help Coral Coast tourism operators recover after Cyclone Narelle disrupted the region.

Regional Development Minister Stephen Dawson said, “This voucher program will offer timely support to help businesses stabilise, continue operating and prepare for recovery as visitors return.”

“The Coral Coast is back open for business following the impact of Tropical Cyclone Narelle. We want visitors to take up this fantastic opportunity to explore this unique part of WA.”

What can you see and do?

The 50 per cent discount applies to whale shark and manta ray swims, snorkelling and eco adventures, hiking, scenic flights over the reef, and Aboriginal cultural tours, among other marine and outdoor experiences. Operators across Exmouth, Coral Bay, and Carnarvon are participating, with the full list available on the Western Australia tourism site.

Tourism Minister Reece Whitby said the discounts were aimed at making travel on the Coral Coast more affordable. “The Ningaloo Adventure Vouchers make it easier and more affordable for people to experience the Coral Coast’s incredible marine life, landscapes and cultural experiences, while generating forward bookings for tourism operators in the near-term to assist with recovery,” he said.

How to claim a voucher

Claiming a voucher is quite easy. 

Travellers need to register their details with one of three participating visitor centres — the Western Australia Visitor Centre, the Ningaloo Visitor Centre, or the Carnarvon Visitor Centre — to receive a unique discount code, which is then applied at the time of booking.

A region rebuilding after the cyclone

The voucher scheme runs alongside Tourism Business Support Payments that recently opened for operators affected by Cyclone Narelle, and a marketing campaign targeting Western Australians to drive intrastate visits.

Gascoyne Minister Hannah Beazley, who recently travelled through the region, said local operators were ready for visitors to return. “Local business owners are ready to welcome tourists back to the region and, having visited recently, I’ve witnessed firsthand their resilience and community spirit,” she said.

Visitors planning a trip are advised to confirm their accommodation before travelling.

The post Half-Price Whale Shark Swims and Reef Tours as Ningaloo Adventure Vouchers Launch This Week appeared first on So Perth

If your idea of a perfect family day out includes happy kids, hands-on learning that actually feels like fun, and something a little out of the ordinary, then WA Museum Boola Bardip should be at the top of your list. A brand-new, world-class exhibition has just arrived, and it’s making a splash.

Introducing OceanXperience, an Australia-first, international exhibition running from April 4th to October 11th. Designed for ocean lovers, curious minds, and families ready for an adventure, this interactive experience transforms a museum visit into an underwater journey far beyond the shoreline.

Inspired by National Geographic’s OceanXplorers documentary series, OceanXperience blends cutting-edge technology, real-world marine research, and interactive displays to bring deep-sea exploration to life. It’s hands-on, visually stunning, and built to spark curiosity, inviting visitors of all ages to step into the world of ocean discovery.

All aboard 

A highlight of the exhibition is the opportunity to experience life aboard the OceanXplorer through an interactive recreation of its most vital research spaces. Step into the role of Xplorer, choose your own mission, and move through the ship, exploring the workspaces scientists use to study the ocean every day during deep-sea expeditions. 

Start in Mission Control, where live data is transformed into detailed visualisations of the ocean floor, allowing researchers to navigate and investigate underwater ecosystems. On the Bridge, navigation becomes the focus, with over 100 switches and systems used by the crew to steer the vessel, monitor environmental conditions, and track deployed research vessels. 

Next, head over to the Wet Lab to see how aquarium technology enables scientists to study live deep-sea organisms while on a mission. The Dry Lab then extends this work with microscopes and genetic sequencers, allowing scientists to use these state-of-the-art tools and to study samples collected in the Wet Lab up close. 

Finally, the Sub Hanger showcases deep-sea vehicles such as Nadir and Neptune, along with ROVs and AUVs, highlighting how these technologies allow scientists to reach extreme depths, survey vast areas, and uncover new knowledge about the ocean’s hidden environments.

Explore after hours 

Get after-hours access to the OceanXperience exhibition at Dive Bar. A monthly Friday night pop-up bar featuring a fresh mix of marine science experts each month, alongside local musicians inspired by the Indian Ocean, so that you can wind down after work in a way that’s a little different from the usual. The Dive Bar runs from 5:30 pm to 9:00 pm, so give yourself enough time to explore everything and catch the entertainment.

Dive deeper 

If you’re keen to take things up a notch, there’s also an optional mixed-reality HoloLab experience available to add on to your OceanXperience visit. Using HoloLens technology, you’ll dive even deeper into the world of marine science through holograms and guided interaction. It’s a pretty unique way to see how cutting-edge tech is shaping real-world research… but even without it, there’s more than enough here to fill a few hours.

Beyond the exhibition itself, there’s even more to explore, with additional displays showcasing the WA Museum’s own marine research, plus a lineup of science-themed activities and live events happening throughout the season. It all ties into a bigger picture, helping visitors not just see the ocean, but understand it, and maybe even walk away caring a little more about protecting it.

More information and tickets to the exhibition can be found on the WA Museum website.

The post Explore Beyond The Shoreline With The WA Museum Boola Bardip’s Latest Exhibition appeared first on So Perth

Colleagues of Chrissy Louise Green reported her to bosses after she came back after work breaks smelling of cannabis.

Follow our live coverage here.

CinefestOz has been handed $2.6 million through the 2026-27 State Budget, locking in funding for the South West film festival until 2029-30. The 2026 edition runs from August 29th to September 6th in regional Western Australia, with the long-term commitment giving the festival a little long-term certainty about where its funding is coming from.

The investment was announced yesterday by the Creative Industries Minister, Simone McGurk.

McGurk said, “CinefestOz connects our local creatives with national and international opportunities and inspires the next generation of storytellers to see a future for themselves in Western Australia.”

The $2.6 million is spread across four festival cycles, giving the organisation the runway to be more strategic with its future planning. That’s important for a festival that has been working off annual rolling funding. Long-term certainty means the festival can sign multi-year deals, plan industry programming further out, and grow the year-round side of the operation — which now includes the Cinesnaps School Program, an Industry Program, and Deadly Days community events.

The bigger screen industry play behind the funding

CinefestOz pulled more than 29,000 attendees last year across more than 200 screenings of 104 films. Those numbers are important to the South West tourism economy, but the State Government is also using the festival as part of its WA Screen Industry Strategy — pitching WA to producers, directors, and investors as a place where productions are actually shot, with the festival functioning as a shopfront.

South West Minister Don Punch said, “CinefestOz is a major driver of cultural activity, tourism and visitor spending in the South West, with last year’s festival attracting more than 29,000 people and delivering a strong boost to the regional economy.” 

“This investment provides certainty for CinefestOz to continue growing, strengthening the region’s tourism offering while supporting local jobs, building skills, and creating new opportunities for Western Australians across the screen and creative industries.”

The funding sits within the broader Made in WA Plan, which targets economic diversification and the growth of creative industries; areas the State Government has been spending more on as it tries to widen WA’s economic base beyond resources.

The post CinefestOz Lands $2.6 Million in State Funding Through to 2030 appeared first on So Perth

Come July 1, wine and spirit bottles will be eligible for 10-cent refunds as part of the Containers for Change program. But the move has left a sour note with the state’s winemakers and distillers.

The league initially filed the application last month, and it is still being considered, with a report expected in early July.

The woman accelerated her car into a man who was trying to intervene in a fight on Stirling Highway while she was a learner driver in August 2023.

The Reserve Bank lifted the cash rate by 25 basis points this afternoon, taking it to 4.35 per cent; the same level it reached in late 2023 when inflation was “out of control”.

It’s the third consecutive hike of 2026, leaving mortgage holders and those already struggling to absorb further pain.

Why the board moved

The decision wasn’t unanimous. Eight members voted to raise the rate; one held out for a pause at 4.10 per cent.

In its statement, the board pointed to two pressures. Inflation picked up materially through the second half of 2025, and recent data suggest that part of that lift reflects capacity pressures in the economy, meaning Australia is operating close to capacity, and any extra demand pushes prices up rather than output. On top of that, the conflict in the Middle East has driven fuel and related commodity prices sharply higher, with the cost already feeding into headline inflation.

The Australian Bureau of Statistics monthly indicator put inflation at 4.6 per cent in March, up from 3.7 per cent in February.

What’s causing the increase in inflation rates?

A lot of blame and hostility will be directed towards the Reserve Bank Governor, Michele Bullock, for the decision, but is that just? The short answer is no.

The Reserve Bank is the last line of defence against inflation, and they’re quite a blunt instrument in that it can only do one of three things:

1. Leave rates on hold
2. Reduce rates to spark the economy
3. Raise rates to slow down inflation

Will today’s rate rise curb inflation? Again, it’s unlikely to have the effect they’d like, and it will likely result in further rate rises this year. 

So what is causing inflation, given that people generally don’t have a lot of disposable cash at the moment, and discretionary spending is down?

The conflict in the Middle East is obviously a factor, with Crude Oil prices having jumped considerably in the last several weeks amid global shortages. This naturally flows through the economy, making everything more expensive.

But didn’t the rates start rising before the conflict in Iran properly kicked off?

One of the biggest factors driving inflation is government policy and spending. 

Federal and state governments combined have been spending at historically high levels as a share of GDP, and when the RBA talks about “capacity pressures,” that’s part of what they mean. Government demand competes with private demand for the same constrained pool of workers, materials, and services, keeping prices elevated.

In this instance, the government — both federal and state — has more power to slow inflation than the Reserve Bank.

Basil Zempilas commented, “This is another blow to WA households already being smashed by Labor’s cost-of-living crisis.”

“Every mortgage holder in WA is paying the price for a government that has failed on housing, failed on cost of living, and failed to ease pressure on family budgets.”

What it means for repayments

Macquarie was first to move, announcing within hours of the decision that it would lift variable home loan and savings rates by 0.25 percentage points from Friday, May 22nd. The other big four banks are expected to follow.

For a borrower with a $1 million mortgage, the cumulative effect of this year’s three hikes works out to around $453 a month in extra repayments compared with January.

More hikes on the table

The board kept its options open, saying it would “do what it considers necessary” to bring inflation back to target.

Westpac is the most hawkish of the major banks, forecasting two more 25-basis-point increases at the June and August meetings, which would push the cash rate to 4.85 per cent — a level not seen since 2008. 

Treasurer Jim Chalmers hands down the federal budget on Tuesday, a week in which mortgage holders will be hoping for something to help with the cost of living that doesn’t add fuel to the fire.

The post RBA Lifts Cash Rate to 4.35% In Third Straight Rate Rise appeared first on So Perth

Curtin University researchers have detected a range of marine life near one of WA’s most famous natural attractions – including the elusive and rarely photographed giant squid.

The last time West Coast Fever met the Adelaide Thunderbirds, they walked out of the Adelaide Entertainment Centre 13 goals down. That was Round 2. Six wins later, the West Coast Fever return to RAC Arena on Friday, May 8th with a score to settle under lights for Friday Night Netty.

Centre pass is at 6:00 pm. It is the only Friday fixture on the entire Suncorp Super Netball calendar this season.

What happened in Adelaide

While the West Coast Fever started well and led at the first break, the Thunderbirds’ defensive end took the game apart from there. By half-time, the home side were five goals up. Five minutes into the third, the margin had blown out to 12. Fever were able to claw it back through supershots, but inaccurate shooting and turnovers proved too costly.

Eight weeks on, West Coast Fever sit third on the ladder with two losses. The Thunderbirds sit second with one. The Vixens are undefeated at the top, and the top three are essentially locked in. 

What’s still being decided is the order as the West Coast Fever look to climb further up the ladder. Add on Friday night, this is where they make their charge for second.

One of the best game day experiences in Perth

If you’ve never been to a Fever home game, this is the one to start with.

RAC Arena will not only turn green as fans gear up in green shirts, green wigs, green everything. But for the Friday Night Netty match-up, RAC Arena will turn on full disco mode.

Fever Alley opens before the game, on the ground floor. A pre-game zone built for kids — head through the green arch for photo opportunities, giveaways, and games. By the time you take your seat, the music is up, as the light show starts and the West Coast Fever take the court, and the energy holds from the first whistle to the last. In a special halftime experience and adding to the disco theme, Roller skaters will take the court, and those in attendance will need to keep their hands ready as Linley Valley Pork throw flying pig keychains into the crowd. And you get to watch the world’s best netball players in action.

Let the kids stay up late. Spoil mum with an early Mother’s Day gift or bring the social netball team. Wear green. Friday Night Netty is definitely more fun as a group than on your own.

Make a night of it in Perth

RAC Arena’s location means the venues around it are open before centre pass and still going after it. 

The pre-game can start at Copia, the sophisticated wine bar on St George’s Terrace sits a five-minute walk from RAC Arena. With an extensive wine list and seasonal sharing plates, get there from 5:00 pm and then make your way to RAC Arena.

Stories at Yagan Square have changed what a CBD pre-game looks like. Stories, the award-winning multi-storey precinct, gives you three dining choices under one roof, depending on the night you’re after. KARLA is the modern Asian flagship, run by head chef Ben Pienprasop, formerly of Chin Chin in Melbourne. Alba does handmade pasta and relaxed Italian. Ugly Baby is the left-of-centre option, with Middle Eastern share plates.

Then there is Market Grounds, which remains a CBD institution and often a go-to for the Green Army faithful. The Standard does Northbridge share plates and a cocktail list that has earned its standing as one of Perth’s best bars. Miss Chow’s on the Terrace is the right call for modern Asian and dumplings within walking distance, and Lil’s Rooftop Bar on Murray Street is the higher option for a post-game drink.

The hottest tickets in Perth sport

There’s a reason why West Coast Fever games are one of the hottest tickets in Perth sport. The club consistently draws some of the biggest crowds in the league, with passionate fans creating an atmosphere that’s second to none.

And with Friday night netball back on the calendar — under lights, in front of a packed house — this is set to be one of the marquee matchups of the year.

So whether you’re a longtime Green Army member or simply looking for a fun way to kick off your weekend, this game is one you’ll want to lock in.

Let’s go Fever.

Tickets

Tickets are on sale through Ticketek. Group rates apply for ten or more, which makes this the night to bring the social netball team. The fixture is the only Friday night game on the 2026 Suncorp Super Netball schedule, and it is West Coast Fever’s only home match against a top-four contender for the next month.

Now is the time to roll out the biggest and loudest Green Army.

Where: RAC Arena

When: Friday, May 8th, 6:00 pm

Tickets: Get your tickets from $20.00* via Ticketek

Free public transport with ticket purchase.*Ticketek handling & transaction fees apply.

The post West Coast Fever Take On The Adelaide Thunderbirds For Friday Night Netty appeared first on So Perth

The Fremantle-based writer, 43, was arrested in January after he was caught actively engaging with other alleged child exploitation offenders online.

“We know that this is going to be a tough winter, and if we’re facing that with less doctors, because we’re burning them out in their day-to-day duties, it’s unacceptable”.

Follow our live coverage here.