We’re bringing our live blog to a close for the day, thank you for joining us.

Here’s a recap of some of the day’s headlines:

Journalists at a press conference with Police Minister Reece Whitby and Police Commissioner Col Blanch got a first-hand look at new facial recognition cameras being rolled out in busy precincts across Perth.
Four beaches in the popular Kimberley tourist town of Broome have been closed for 24 hours after a 2.5-metre saltwater crocodile was spotted near the port on Thursday morning.
Anneke Brown has stepped down from her role as managing director of Western Australia’s tourism agency less than two years after she was appointed.
WA homeowners may be pleased with the planned overhaul of R-zones unveiled by Planning Minister John Carey this morning – but the Greens aren’t convinced.
From 190-point floggings to 14 wins in a row, Fremantle recruit Judd McVee can hardly believe his luck as he adapts swimmingly to life as a Docker.
Seven Betts shoe stores will close in Western Australia, where the 134-year-old footwear brand was founded, as it calls in voluntary administrators.
A major private hospital in Perth’s south is cutting its emergency department opening hours, with “workforce pressures” blamed for the move away from a 24/7 model.
Proposed major reforms to Western Australia’s residential design codes could see an additional 50,000 homeowners subdivide their land and sell their backyards, or demolish and redevelop, potentially providing a boost to block values and paving the way for increased density.
Residents and holidaymakers at a WA tourist hotspot were put on alert overnight, with a fire tearing through Broome’s Cable Beach.

Thank you for tuning in today. We’ll see you back here tomorrow for more news you need to know.

Journalists get first-hand look at facial recognition cameras in action as arrest made mid-press conference

Journalists at a press conference with Police Minister Reece Whitby and Police Commissioner Col Blanch got a first-hand look at new facial recognition cameras being rolled out in busy precincts across Perth.

There was a notable off-camera commotion as the commissioner was discussing the results of the first week of a trial deployment of the cameras, which included the detection of 21 registered sex offenders and the arrests of two people for breaching exclusion orders in protected entertainment precincts.

WA Police are trialling new facial recognition cameras in public spaces.

In total, 18 people were arrested – 16 of whom had outstanding warrants.

There was just one false positive alert from the cameras, which automatically scan people’s faces in public areas and match them against an existing database.

A rare moment in politics: Liberals, Labor see eye-to-eye on R-zone reforms (almost)

Well, the Greens may have panned them, but today’s announcement of an overhaul of R-zone laws has resulted in a rare moment in politics, with the opposition hailing them as “sensible but long overdue”.

Reacting to the news unveiled at a business breakfast in Perth this morning, opposition planning and lands spokesman Neil Thomson said any practical measure that increased housing supply and cut unnecessary red tape deserved support.

But there was a pointed question among the applause.

“We support planning reforms that make it easier to build more homes, but the obvious question is: why has it taken so long?” Thomson said.

Croc sighting closes Broome beaches

Four beaches in the popular Kimberley tourist town of Broome have been closed for 24 hours after a 2.5-metre saltwater crocodile was spotted near the port on Thursday morning.

A Department of Biodiversity Conservation and Attractions alert said the crocodile was spotted at 10am on Thursday, leading to the closure of Entrance Point, Simpsons Beach, Demco Beach and Town Beach.

“Parks and Wildlife Service rangers are patrolling the area,” the alert read.

Any croc sightings should be reported to the DBCA’s Broome office on 9195 5500..

Tourism WA managing director steps down

Anneke Brown has stepped down from her role as managing director of Western Australia’s tourism agency less than two years after she was appointed.

Brown shared the update on LinkedIn, saying it had been an “immense privilege” to work at Tourism WA alongside the “Dream Team”.

Outgoing Tourism WA managing director Anneke Brown at the Margaret River Pro earlier this year.

“After 25 years in the tourism industry, I was proud to bring my insights and experience to the agency, building on the significant work already underway and helping drive the vision for the visitor economy,” she said.

“It has been incredible to work with the wonderful Tourism WA Dream Team. Their passion for serving the tourism industry has led to significant achievements, with Western Australia’s tourism performance accelerating in all areas in 2025.

R-zone overhaul panned as ‘lazy’, ‘destructive’

WA homeowners may be pleased with the planned overhaul of R-zones unveiled by Planning Minister John Carey this morning – but the Greens aren’t convinced.

Greens planning spokesman Dr Brad Pettitt said the changes would result in “the worst kind of density” that didn’t create walkable, transit-oriented neighbourhoods while also being too big to preserve the city’s dwindling tree canopy.

“What you end up with is suburbs that were once leafy becoming treeless, hot and car-dependent, making them even less livable than they are today,” Pettitt said.

“Perth already has the lowest canopy cover of any Australian capital city and it is continuing to decline at a rapid rate.

Dream switch: former Dee thriving at flying Fremantle

From 190-point floggings to 14 wins in a row, Fremantle recruit Judd McVee can hardly believe his luck as he adapts swimmingly to life as a Docker.

McVee, a rookie draft selection in 2021, spent the first four years of his AFL career at the Melbourne Demons before making the switch to Fremantle at the end of last season.

Judd McVee is right at home at Fremantle.

It’s proven to be a case of perfect timing with Fremantle (14-1) sitting two wins clear on top of the ladder and aiming for their 15th win in a row in Saturday’s clash with GWS in Canberra.

McVee hails from Geraldton, a town more than 400km north of Perth, and he never came close to 14 wins in a row during his junior football days there.

Seven WA stores to close as Betts shoes calls in administrators

Seven Betts shoe stores will close in Western Australia, where the 134-year-old footwear brand was founded, as it calls in voluntary administrators.

At its peak the chain had nearly 220 stores across the nation, but now it will close 20 of its remaining 35 stores as the business transitions to online-only operations.

Jess Hatzis, chief marketing officer for Betts Shoes, in October 2025.

More than 120,000 pairs of shoes and accessories will be heavily discounted as administrators from Pitcher Partners assess the business.

“Australians grew up with Betts shoes, they know and love the brand, and we believe it has a strong outlook as a more streamlined operation,” said administrator Lindsay Bainbridge.

‘Workforce pressures’ blamed as private Perth emergency department cuts opening hours

A major private hospital in Perth’s south is cutting its emergency department opening hours, with “workforce pressures” blamed for the move away from a 24/7 model.

St John of God Murdoch sits next to Fiona Stanley Hospital in the growing medical precinct on South Street, near the Kwinana Freeway and Murdoch Train Station.

A notice published on the hospital’s website on Wednesday said that, as of September 1, the private hospitals’ emergency department would be open from 8am to 10pm daily, instead of 24 hours.

St John of God Murdoch chief executive Ben Irish said reducing the opening hours meant the hospital could “safely staff our emergency department with appropriately qualified emergency doctors during the period of highest patient demand”.

WA government eyes major R-code reform

Proposed major reforms to Western Australia’s residential design codes could see an additional 50,000 homeowners subdivide their land and sell their backyards, or demolish and redevelop, potentially providing a boost to block values and paving the way for increased density.

Under the reforms, revealed this morning at a Planning Institute of Australia WA breakfast, land blocks of 700 square metres zoned R20 and below would be able to be subdivided, a huge decrease from the 900 square metres currently required, as the state government turns its focus to increasing density.

The R20 density code generally applies to the most common suburban residential properties across the Perth metropolitan region, but the local government areas expected to be the most impacted by the changes include Joondalup, Stirling, Wanneroo, Canning and Cockburn.

Housing and Planning and Lands Minister John Carey told the breakfast at the Anzac Club in the CBD on Thursday morning the government was also looking at reducing single-home approvals from 60 to 30 days.

Also on the cards is reducing duplication to make the R-codes easier to navigate, and cutting red tape so more simple residential projects, such as single houses, renovations, patios and carports, no longer need planning approval.

The targeted review is being guided by an expert advisory group comprising representatives from the planning, local government, architecture and property development sectors, with further stakeholder engagement to continue.

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WA news LIVE: Seven WA stores to close as Perth-born shoe chain calls in administrators