What's happening in Perth

“Extreme bad behaviour continues to cause major challenges in classrooms, driving burnout and disruption.”

The state government has been called on to enact a moratorium on short-stay approvals followed by a levy to reduce the number of un-hosted short-stay homes, to manage the growing crisis.

Local Government Minister Hannah Beazley says a three-month investigation was the rational next step after poor behaviour returned to the City of Perth.

The business broke several records over the past financial year including, revenue of $44.23 billion, profit before tax of $100.2 million and a dividend of $47.7m for the state government.

The baby was taken to Perth Children’s Hospital on Sunday for an assessment as a precaution.

Justin Longmuir’s knees didn’t allow him to reach his full potential as a player during his 139 games in the purple. But his mind might end up being the crucial element that lands Fremantle an elusive flag.

Follow our live coverage from around Perth and across WA.

Western Australia will cut the number of inpatient mental health beds for children despite years of warnings that the state’s mental health system for young people is struggling to keep up.

The woman and her husband took part in “swinging” with another couple, before she started a private relationship with the other husband.

The latest results of a rock art monitoring report demonstrate exactly what independent scientists have been saying – and government and industry have been denying - for years.

While he has made his love of his home team clear on an international stage as they gear up for a preliminary final on Friday, Kevin Parker has also made his position on the team’s major sponsor clear.

The planning commission gave unanimous approval for Stage 2 works on the $807 million emergency department redevelopment.

Perth Zoo’s Native Species Breeding Program has reached its 30th anniversary. Established in 1996, it has bred or reared more than 6,000 animals across 11 species for release into the wild, run in partnership with the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions and other conservation groups.

“Western Australia is home to some of the most unique and extraordinary wildlife in the world, some of which would be in considerable trouble without the zoo’s efforts,” said Environment Minister Matthew Swinbourn. “It has played a critical role in protecting these species for generations to come.”

Mammals, reptiles, amphibians, and birds have all come through the program over the three decades. It now concentrates on four priority species: the numbat, western swamp tortoise, white-bellied frog, and hairy marron.

The numbat is the one most Western Australians know, and Perth Zoo is the only facility in the world breeding them. More than 325 zoo-born numbats have been released to bolster existing wild populations and establish new ones elsewhere in Australia. In July the International Union for Conservation of Nature moved the species from endangered to near threatened on its Red List, naming the zoo’s breeding work as a key factor. The numbat is still listed as endangered under national environment law, with an estimated 2,000 to 3,000 left in the wild.

“The recent downlisting of the numbat highlights the value of long-term conservation partnerships and the important role Perth Zoo continues to play in species recovery,” Swinbourn said.

The other three priority species the zoo has bred and released include 1,148 critically endangered western swamp tortoises, Australia’s rarest reptile, which survives in a handful of ephemeral swamps on the Swan Coastal Plain. It has reared and released 1,553 white-bellied frogs, a species confined to a small pocket of the South West. And since a breeding program for the critically endangered hairy marron began in 2022, more than 286 craylings have hatched. The hairy marron lives in the upper reaches of the Margaret River and nowhere else on earth.

The work goes well past breeding. Zoo science staff and wildlife conservation specialists handle genetics-based breeding management, reproductive monitoring, habitat design, and species-specific care to prepare animals for release, and the research coming out of that has fed into recovery plans and improved care techniques across the state.

The post Perth Zoo’s Native Species Breeding Program Is Celebrating 30 Years Of Conservation Impact appeared first on So Perth

Major events held across Perth and regional Western Australia in 2025-26 injected close to $223 million into the state economy, according to figures released by the Cook Government. The State Government backed close to 100 events across the year, which together drew more than 2.1 million attendees and close to 132,000 visitors.

“Events are an incredibly valuable investment for the Western Australia tourism sector, bringing a huge $223 million in impact from major events alone, plus the huge social, community, and media value,” said Premier and Tourism, Trade and Investment Minister Roger Cook.

“We know that hosting blockbusters raises the profile and reputation of our State, showcasing Western Australia on a global stage and helping bring even more visitors here, injecting valuable dollars into local tourism, hospitality, and accommodation businesses.”

The WWE Takeover Weekend in October 2025 brought over 40,000 fans into RAC Arena across three nights of Friday Night SmackDown, Crown Jewel: Perth, and Monday Night RAW, with more than 12,500 of them travelling from interstate.

The opening Test of the Ashes at Optus Stadium in November attracted around 8,500 visitors from the United Kingdom and 11,000 from interstate. More than 100,000 people came through the gates across the first two days of play, making it the highest-attended Test match ever held at the ground.

February brought the first Perth SailGP, which sold out with a crowd of over 15,000. AFL Origin returned to Optus Stadium after a 27-year absence and also sold out, and in May, UFC Fight Night drew close to 14,000 to RAC Arena for a card headlined by Perth’s Jack Della Maddalena. North Melbourne’s regional home game at Hands Oval in Bunbury returned for a second year, bringing thousands of out-of-region visitors south.

What the events cost

What the State Government paid to secure any of it isn’t public. Individual event fees are held as commercial-in-confidence, and leaked documents reported in July by 9News Perth and Business News put the total spend at around $33 million, including $4 million for the AC Milan and Perth Glory friendly. Roger Cook disputed those figures at the time, saying they didn’t match the government’s own record keeping, and the Opposition has been pushing since for event costs to be published.

The post Perth’s Big Events Year Was Worth $223 Million To The WA Economy appeared first on So Perth

The 30-year-old was due to have a two-day appeal hearing this week but withdrew his application on Monday.

Follow our live coverage here.

Efforts to overhaul mining culture represent a significant commitment of time, money and attention – but an essential question remains unanswered: have they worked?

An abundance of rainfall in the state’s Mid West has created a spectacular show of colour and variety that hasn’t been seen since 2008.

KCC has launched a new vessel that aims to use wind technology the company believes will not just reduce emissions, but also improve fuel efficiency on its voyages between China and Australia.

The redevelopment of Hilton Park is still paused after fiery debate pits youth sports facilities against urban tree protection.