Half-a-million bucks disappear after election: Mt Hawthorn primary school was quietly short-changed $550,000 in the WA state budget, infuriating its P&C. Before the March 9 state election the school was promised $1.25 million for infrastructure upgrades. That was slashed to $700,000 when the Budget was announced two weeks ago. P&C president Tim Swart says the…

Stirling mayor David Boothman has declared war on the Barnett government’s amalgamation plans, describing them as a “fiasco”. On Tuesday the council—one of WA’s biggest—voted to lobby the government to keep Wembley Downs, Churchlands, Woodlands, Inglewood and parts of Mt Lawley and Dianella within its borders. Cr Boothman says Stirling residents are aghast at the…

Watching his 100-year-old grandmother read stories to rapt young nieces and nephews, Garth Kearvell realised she wouldn’t be around forever. That gave the Mount Hawthorn man the idea to launch NonnaVoce—Nana’s Voice. Mr Kearvell visits homes and records grandparents reading bed-time tales. The recordings can then be played long after the reader has gone to…

Paid parking at train stations faces a backlash, with locals and Bayswater councillors joining Labor’s opposition to the plan. Free parking at stations will be abolished from next July. WA transport shadow Ken Travers says $2 a day doesn’t sound like much to pay but over a year the $460 makes a huge difference to…

John Carey is running for Vincent mayor. Founder of the Beaufort Street Network and a co-founder of the hugely popular Beaufort Street festival, Cr Carey says, “we’re really at a critical time for our city”. With the roll-out of town centre upgrades in various states of completion, Cr Carey says he wants to continue the…

Alannah MacTiernan is backing Cr John Carey to succeed her as Vincent mayor. “I believe John Carey is the best person to succeed me—he has the enthusiasm and drive to do the job,” she says. “People want somebody that can get things done and make change happen. “I’ve know John and his father for many…

If the CFMEU’s anti-457 visas billboard on the side of his building gave federal Perth Liberal candidate Darryl Moore a headache, this one’ll give him a migraine. No sooner had the union billboard gone up than it was being pasted over—with a big poster of Mr Moore’s ALP rival, Alannah MacTiernan. Attempts to get Mr…

Bayswater mayor Terry Kenyon is under siege with a raft of candidates said to be opposed to his leadership nominating for the October council elections. His two supporters in north ward, Graham Pittaway and Alan Radford are being challenged by high-profile candidates Michelle Sutherland and Mark Whitehouse. Both are pledging to be independent on the…

North Perth musician Cat Hope is taking her immense talent off-shore after scoring a Churchill Fellowship. Just 11 West Australians earned a grant under the prestigious research program. The composer, musician, songwriter and noise artist is well known both locally and internationally for her avant garde music but the Edith Cowan academic is also gaining…

Scott Ludlam is Australia’s insurance policy against a rampant Abbott government, says Greens leader Christine Milne. Launching her party’s WA campaign Tuesday, Senator Milne’s language and tone all-but-conceded the Coalition would be in government after September 7. She says the challenge now is to stop the Coalition gaining control of both houses of federal parliament—and…