ABC Perth

15/01/2026

From February 25 dual citizens of the UK and Ireland will have to follow new passport regulations, implemented by each country separately.

Here is what's changing: https://ab.co/4jKGuFh

15/01/2026

A reporter's standard afternoon filming for TV news took a turn when an inquisitive budgie decided to take a closer look.

✍️ Brianna Melville via ABC Midwest and Wheatbelt

15/01/2026

"They're the kind of dreams we're trying to inspire."

Basketball fever has swept Perth, as the ultimate celebration of sport and culture, HoopsFest, comes to town.

Across four days, fans can enter competitions, attend NBL and WNBL games, and interact with legends like NBA Hall of Famer Allen Iverson.

NBL CEO David Stevenson told Mark Gibson on he has a 'huge admiration' for WA and 'would love to see it here for the foreseeable future'.

15/01/2026

TOTAL FIRE BAN 🚫 Friday January 16th
📍 Mundaring
📍 Northam
📍 Swan
📍 Toodyay
📍 Waroona
📍 York
🔥 DON'T LIGHT A FIRE. NO HOT WORKS, WELDING OR GRINDING
More information: emergency.wa.gov.au/total-fire-bans
👉 Check warnings for your location on ABC Emergency: ab.co/Emergency or ab.co/ABC_WA

15/01/2026

An audit of WA's health infrastructure finds the state's aging public hospitals are too reliant on reactive maintenance, with no dedicated funding to keep them up to scratch and little data to inform future decisions.

15/01/2026

Business owners neighbouring suspected illegal to***co stores say they are worried for their safety and are calling for a crackdown amid a spate of recent alleged firebombings in WA.

Amy and Chris Howes' beauty salon was recently destroyed by a fire which police suspect was targeting a neighbouring convenience store that allegedly had links to the illegal to***co trade.

Mr Howes said there should be harsher penalties for people convicted of selling illegal to***co products.

"I feel if the cops do a raid, and they find them, they're just back up and running the next day," he said.

Business owners neighbouring suspected illegal to***co stores are calling for a crackdown amid a spate of violent incidents alleged to be targeting the illicit to***co trade.

15/01/2026

WA Police charge a 19-year-old man after he allegedly uses social media to send messages, threatening to kill Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and NSW Premier Chris Minns.

15/01/2026

Police have charged 25 youths and seized and destroyed dozens of electric scooters and off-road bikes in a targeted crackdown on e-rideables in Perth's northern suburbs.

STORY: https://ab.co/3NuHIs2

Operation Moorhead was launched in Joondalup on January 5, following community concern about dangerous and anti-social riding behaviour.

Joondalup police Acting Inspector Scott Gillis said in one incident, a 12-year-old was caught travelling on an e-rideable which could reach 80 kilometres per hour.

15/01/2026

Western Australia's ban on demersal fishing has left fishers frustrated. Will the government be able to soften the blow for an angry industry?

Analysis by WA state political reporter Keane Bourke.

Western Australia's ban on demersal fishing has left fishers frustrated. Will the government be able to soften the blow for an angry industry?

15/01/2026

Opposition Leader Sussan Ley says Labor's hate crime and gun control reforms are "unsalvageable", signalling the Liberals won't back the bill.

Liberal members have also said the bill is unlikely to get approval from the Coalition partyroom in its current form due to fears the new racial hatred offence goes too far in infringing on religious freedoms.

Liberals are backing away from a push to tackle antisemitism with stronger racial hatred laws, with some senior figures in the party also voicing freedom of speech concerns.

14/01/2026

Geraldton windsurfer Sarah Kenyon has been crowned the sport's U18 women's world champion after a tight contest in waters off the regional city's coast.

📱 Personalise your news and stay in the know with the ABC NEWS app: https://ab.co/abcnewsapp

Geraldton windsurfer Sarah Kenyon is victorious after a tight battle in the sport's junior world championships held in regional WA for the first time.

14/01/2026

A single tree threatens to disrupt US mining giant Alcoa's expansion in Western Australia, as the company is investigated over an alleged breach of its state-imposed mining conditions.

📱 Personalise your news and stay in the know with the ABC NEWS app: https://ab.co/abcnewsapp

WA's environmental regulator is investigating an alleged breach of Alcoa's state-imposed mining conditions which, if proven, would make it illegal for the company to continue some of its mining operations.

14/01/2026

Having repeatedly lost mobile coverage during recent bushfires, volunteer brigades and local councils are paying for expensive satellite units to maintain critical communications.

📱 Personalise your news and stay in the know with the ABC NEWS app: https://ab.co/abcnewsapp

Having repeatedly lost mobile coverage during recent bushfires, local councils and volunteer brigades are paying for expensive satellite units to maintain critical communications.

14/01/2026

The Australian Conservation Foundation says tens of thousands of hectares of land were approved for clearing last year, double that of 2024, putting already endangered species at further risk.

14/01/2026

Tasmanian Kelvin Smith has played a baby grand piano at some incredible sites across his home state, but now he's bringing his impromptu shows to some amazing locations on mainland Australia.

📝 Rosemary Murphy
🎬 Tim Carrier
🎞️ Dominic Briggs
🎥 Xavier Martin
📹 Supplied/Hyland Smith

14/01/2026

Builders working in the rear yard of a surveying company got a shock when they came across a hessian sack full of old mining explosives.

14/01/2026

WA's Taylah Preston has progressed to her first top-level quarterfinal after upsetting Rebecca Šramková in straight sets at the Hobart International.

Read more: https://ab.co/49SZga1

The 20-year-old world number 204, who also has a wildcard at the upcoming Australian Open, won the match against the world number 72 6-4, 6-1.

14/01/2026

Australia's social media ban for under 16's has been in place for over a month, but cybersecurity expert and former police officer Susan McLean says it's not working.

"I don't know anyone that has been knocked back based on having to do an age scan," Ms McLean told Mark Gibson on ABC Radio Perth.

"I had a primary school student who had her age verified as a 17-year-old."

This week tech giant Meta released numbers saying it has removed almost 500,000 accounts from Facebook, Instagram and Threads.

However, Ms McLean, who works closely with children and parents, is concerned the ban is pushing kids to less well known, and less regulated apps.

"The internet is far more than nine platforms."

"The lesser platforms, there is less safety on them. There is less cooperation with law enforcement if something goes terribly wrong and the police need to be involved."

Ms McLean is calling on parents to pay closer attention to their children's online habits than ever.

"The platforms are still there. Your kids are still going to be able to access them. They can still watch YouTube, or any platform, in a logged-out state, which means there are no protections in place."

"I want parents to be an active participant in their child's online world, full stop."

Parents, what's it been like in your household this summer?

14/01/2026

From second-hand uniform shops, saving plans and making tough decisions, here's what some families are doing to keep the costs associated with education down.

How do you save money on school-related costs? 👇💬

From second-hand uniform shops, saving plans and making tough decisions, here's what some families are doing to keep the costs associated with education down.

14/01/2026

🐻❓ What do we think?

The Perth Bears have unveiled the latest iteration of their iconic logo ahead of their 2027 NRL debut.

14/01/2026

The fallout of the high-profile child exploitation material allegations against Craig Silvey starts to ripple through the literary community, as the renowned author faces charges of possessing and distributing illicit material.

14/01/2026

"It was pretty intense and the poor dog went flying … I'm not sure whether I jumped against the wall or whether I got thrown."

Kimberley artist Jeanne Barnes is one of the few people — an estimated one in nine million — who have been hit by lightning not once, but twice.

Kimberley artist Jeanne Barnes is one of the few people — an estimated one in 9 million — who have been hit by lightning not once, but twice.

13/01/2026

An 18-year-old man has been charged over an incident which sparked a major response from WA Police in Pinjarra, south of Perth.

Heavily-armed officers from the Tactical Response Group were deployed to the town of 5,000 people late on Tuesday morning after police received reports of a man with a firearm.

An 18-year-old man has been charged over an incident which sparked a major response from WA Police in Pinjarra, south of Perth.

13/01/2026

⭐ABC Radio Perth is switching to FM, and this is where you'll be able to tune in.⭐
Perth listeners will experience a major improvement in audio quality when we make the switch to our powerful 100kW transmission.

On the map below, the red outline indicates the reach of ABC Radio Perth on AM and the light blue area represents our new FM coverage.

ABC AM services will continue in regional and remote WA areas.

ABC Radio Perth's switch-over date will be revealed next week on the Breakfast Show with Mark Gibson.

13/01/2026

The eyes of the sailing world will be on Fremantle this weekend as it welcomes the high-speed, big-money international Sail Grand Prix for the first time.

📱 Personalise your news and stay in the know with the ABC NEWS app: https://ab.co/abcnewsapp

The eyes of the sailing world will be on Perth's port city of Fremantle this weekend as it welcomes the high-speed, big money international Sail Grand Prix for the first time.