Updated May 21, 2026 — 5:34pm,first published May 21, 2026 — 9:46am

yesterday 5.34pm

Today’s headlines

Thanks for joining us today.

Here’s a refresh of today’s top headlines.

Conservation groups have lined up to give Premier Roger Cook brickbats after he remarked that WA could be forced to start fracking the Kimberley region if Woodside’s Browse gas project was not developed.
Federal Treasurer Jim Chalmers has acknowledged growing concerns that changes to capital gains tax could impact Western Australia’s mining industry – particularly mineral exploration, which has been labelled as the nation’s “original startup”.
Northern Star Resources managing director Stuart Tonkin will leave the company at the start of 2027 after 13 years with the gold miner.
The WA opposition has accused Labor of shifting the timeline for when a new container port will be needed by another five to 10 years.
Investigations are under way after a train crashed into a truck that failed to clear a level crossing in Guildford on Wednesday afternoon.

We’ll see you back here tomorrow.

yesterday 5.18pm

Saffioti’s ‘tough’ in meetings with treasurers: Chalmers

Sticking with the lunch with the federal treasurer, and Chalmers has been asked about his state counterpart, Rita Saffioti.

“When we were at the table earlier, you remarked a couple of times about the state treasurer, and not wanting to cross her, or at least get on her wrong side,” CME chief executive Aaron Morey said.

“Out of … all the treasurers who’s most intimidated by Rita?”

“I think it’s equal, so what’s that – a seven-way tie,” Chalmers replied.

“Rita is tough in those meetings [with the Council of Federal Financial Relations].

“She’s a leader in that group, but also has the ability to work really well with everyone, and that group can get punchy.”

yesterday 4.23pm

Treasurer grilled on how tax changes will impact Australia’s ‘original startup’

We’re sitting in on a post-budget lunch with federal Treasurer Jim Chalmers in Perth, hosted by the Chamber of Minerals and Energy.

Chalmers has given a speech and taken part in a Q&A with CME chief executive Aaron Morey, highlighting some key pointers from the budget that will impact WA – particularly the state’s mining sector.

Treasurer Jim Chalmers and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.Alex Ellinghausen

He acknowledged WA was “in so many ways the engine room of the Australian economy” before being asked about how changes to capital gains tax would impact investment in mineral exploration, which has been labelled as the country’s “original startup”.

“We’re trying to do essentially three things,” Chalmers said of the changes.

yesterday 3.03pm

Opposition urges Cook to intervene in regional courts stand-off

The WA opposition fears the closure of a number of regional courthouses due to a lack of security is putting vulnerable women and families at greater risk.

Last week, four of the state’s top legal minds signed a public notice stating that a number of remote and regional courthouses would be temporarily closed for a three-month period as security for the buildings cannot be provided.

Liberal Vasse MLA Libby Mettam.Hamish Hastie

Opposition prevention of family and domestic violence spokeswoman Libby Mettam said the breakdown in regional court operations was deeply concerning for victims of family and domestic violence.

“I have already heard from victims of domestic violence who are deeply worried about what this means for their safety and access to justice,” she said.

Northern Star Resources managing director Stuart Tonkin will leave the company at the start of 2027 after 13 years with the gold miner.

In a statement to the ASX on Thursday, the company said Tonkin would remain as managing director until his exit int he first quarter of 2027 to oversee the conclusion of its strategic plan and commissioning of the Fimiston Mill expansion at the iconic Super Pit mine in Kalgoorlie, which Northern Star owns.

Northern Star managing director Stuart Tonkin.Trevor Collens

Tonkin joined Northern Star as chief operating officer, before being promoted to chief executive and, later, managing director.

“Under Mr Tonkin’s leadership, Northern Star has grown from a small-cap Western Australian focused miner into Australia’s largest ASX-listed gold producer with three production centres and over 10,000 staff and contractors across Western Australia and Alaska, with a leading safety record,” the statement read.

The WA opposition has accused Labor of shifting the timeline for when a new container port will be needed by another five to 10 years.

Fremantle’s iconic inner harbour container port – the only container port in WA – has a limited lifespan, with its location on the northern shores of the mouth of the Swan River deemed inappropriate for the long term.

Instead, the state government plans to build a new facility – dubbed Westport – in Kwinana.

The new port will be located at the site of the Kwinana bulk handling terminal.

However, in budget estimates on Wednesday, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Ports Lisa O’Malley said Fremantle’s existing container capacity was expected to be reached between 2045 and 2050. Last year, that date was 2040.

yesterday 11.43am

Police deem white powder found at Perth Mosque ‘non-hazardous’

WA Police say no one has been charged after a white powder was found scattered outside of Perth Mosque in February.

Counterterrorism police were called to investigate after a man who lived in the area phoned police about a disturbance on William Street in Northbridge, about 1am on Friday, February 27.

Perth Mosque was vandalised in February.Hannah Murphy

He told police he was concerned about a white powder that had been dumped around the perimeter of the mosque and graffiti that had been placed on the mosque’s door, and had tried to notify people inside the building about its spread.

Police attended and investigated, and determined the substance was non-suspicious.

yesterday 10.51am

Conservation Council wants federal gas reservation scheme to apply to WA

The state’s peak environmental advocacy group has called for Western Australia to adopt the federal government’s proposed 20 per cent domestic gas reservation scheme, arguing the current arrangement is not working.

WA currently demands gas exporters contribute 15 per cent of the gas they produced to the domestic market. The Commonwealth is planning to emulate the policy at a national level in the face of shortfalls and rising prices in the eastern states.

Woodside’s Pluto gas plant, near Karratha.Woodside

However, Conservation Council WA executive director Matt Roberts said WA’s system was flawed in its own right, and, if it were working properly, would do away with the need for more gas projects.

He said big exporters currently didn’t even contribute the required 15 per cent to the WA market.

Services are back to normal on the Midland line this morning after a train crashed into a truck that failed to clear a level crossing in Guildford on Wednesday afternoon.

The incident threw the evening commute into chaos, forcing the closure of the train line from Bassendean onwards.

The damaged Transperth train in the aftermath of the crash at Meadow Street in Guildford.

A Perth Transport Association spokesperson said the truck “failed to clear the level crossing on Meadow Street”, before it was hit by a Transperth train.

Two toddlers and their mother were given the all-clear by paramedics at the scene, however a woman and two teenagers were taken to hospital.

It also emerged on Thursday morning that the 48-year-old train driver and a 30-year-old trainee sustained minor injuries in the crash.

The 33-year-old truck driver was not hurt.

Here’s what’s happening elsewhere today:

Graham Richardson’s daughter has spoken about the Labor kingmaker’s fractured family and how the only remaining assets in his estate included a Lexus and two mysterious wedding rings.
The United States has brought murder charges against former Cuban president Raúl Castro, in a major escalation of the Trump administration’s campaign against the country’s communist government.
As the nation reeled in the days following its deadliest terrorist attack and family and friends grieved the people they lost, a man was allegedly pawning a camera he stole from one of the victims for $800.
Amid the deluge of tributes, it’s worth considering where Scott Pendlebury’s incomplete innings ranks in the AFL’s pantheon, over the course of his career.

The WA domestic gas reservation system has worked very well since it was implemented in 1981 when the North West Shelf project was approved. The so called "Conservation Council" effectively wants WA to cede its powers to the federal government. No thanks.

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As it happened: WA news on Thursday, May 21