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As it happened: WA news on Monday, March 10

Updated March 10, 2025 — 8:13pm,first published March 10, 2025 — 10:31am

Key Posts

Witnesses saw ‘massive shark maul surfer’ at WA beach

It’s an absolute disgrace’: Opposition calls for electoral commissioner to be suspended

Fremantle election recount ‘a concern’, Independent says

Perth obstetrician charged with manslaughter has medical licence suspended

8.13pm on Mar 10, 2025

Today’s headlines

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

Dominating the headlines today was the wash-up from Saturday’s state election, as well as a tragedy on our state’s southern coast:

The biggest upset of Saturday’s election is shaping up to be the seat of Fremantle, which could be won by independent Kate Hulett at the expense of sitting Labor member Simone McGurk, who, if ousted, would be the only minister to lose their seat after an emphatic Labor victory.
The medical licence of a Perth obstetrician accused of killing a young woman during a high speed, drunken car crash in Dalkeith last month has been suspended.
Opposition leader Shane Love has called for the Western Australian Electoral Commissioner Robert Kennedy to be suspended, and a Parliamentary inquiry launched over Saturday’s state election conduct concerns.
A man and woman have been arrested by police after allegedly being involved in a high-speed chase which ended in Forrestfield.
And incoming Churchlands MP Basil Zempilas says it would be disrespectful to reveal his intentions for the leadership of the Liberal party while votes were still being counted.

Thank you again for tuning in, and we’ll see you once more tomorrow for more news you need to know.

8.04pm on Mar 10, 2025

Libs leadership speculation ‘not appropriate’ while votes are being counted: Zempilas

By Hamish Hastie

Incoming Churchlands MP Basil Zempilas says it would be disrespectful to reveal his intentions for the leadership of the Liberal party while votes were still being counted.

At a press conference this afternoon, Zempilas said there was every chance the party could add a few more MPs to the five that had already secured their seats.

“My view on speculation or otherwise is that it’s just not appropriate until the full team is assembled to be projecting forward like that,” he said.

“What happens is we wait until the end of this week, likely to see who are the party room members, both the upper and lower house.

“I’m hopeful that we can get to nine or 10, and then at that point we can consider what comes next.”

Liberal leader Libby Mettam has suggested her role in the party should be put to a vote of the new party room, preferably before the upcoming federal election.

Zempilas is considered to be in the front of the pack for the role.

Zempilas also reflected on his new party’s poor showing which has seen Labor record its second-best election result in its history with 41 seats secured and potentially four more on the cards as counting continues.

Zempilas said his party’s message did not resonate with the WA public.

“Clearly we cannot overlook the fact that what the Liberal Party have put forward has not been accepted in significant numbers by the people of Western Australia,” he said.

As of Monday afternoon, Zempilas is about 1000 votes ahead of Christine Tonkin in Churchlands, with 73 per cent of the vote counted.

Labor conceded defeat in Albany this afternoon, but it is lineball as to whether the Liberals’ Thomas Brough or the Nationals’ Scott Leary secured the seat.

6.07pm on Mar 10, 2025

WATCH: Police pursuit ends in pair’s arrest in Forrestfield

A man and woman have been arrested by police after allegedly being involved in a high-speed chase which ended in Forrestfield.

WA Police said the pair, from Queensland, were allegedly spotted speeding in a stolen vehicle around 5pm yesterday in Meckering, and refused to stop.

A brief chase was terminated by police due to safety concerns, but a police helicopter continued to monitor the Kia Cerrato hatchback from the sky as the vehicle travelled through Midland.

Nearly two hours later, the car crashed into a Toyota Kluger in Forrestfield and the two occupants fled on foot.

They were arrested nearby and charged with a string of offences including stealing a motor vehicle, reckless driving and no authority to drive.

The 31-year-old man and 47-year-old woman will face court today.

5.25pm on Mar 10, 2025

Witnesses saw ‘massive shark maul surfer’ at WA beach

More information is coming through about the tragedy unfolding at a beach near Esperance.

Beachgoers have told police they saw a male surfer being attacked by a huge shark at Wharton Beach around midday today.

It’s understood the victim was in chest deep water.

The man’s surfboard was found floating in the water, but two hours on, the surfer remains missing.

3.52pm on Mar 10, 2025

Fears for surfer after suspected shark attack near Esperance

By Cameron Myles

Ambulance crews are rushing to the scene of a suspected shark attack east of Esperance along the state’s southern coast.

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A St John WA spokeswoman said two crews had been dispatched to the scene at Wharton Beach in Condingup – about an hour’s drive east of the holiday town – after receiving a call for help just after midday.

WAtoday understands a surfer is still missing. A police spokeswoman said a surfboard has been found in the water “but no surfer has been sighted”.

“A shark was sighted in the area a short time prior, and beachgoers left the water,” she said.

3.28pm on Mar 10, 2025

Body found in water at Hillarys Boat Harbour

A body has been found floating in the water at Hillarys Boat Harbour this morning.

The grim discovery was made by members of the public at around 7am just several metres from a number of moored boats.

A WA Police spokeswoman said the death was not being treated as suspicious.

The deceased was aged 86. His next of kin have been notified.

The tragedy comes a month after a schoolgirl was rushed to hospital after a near drowning in the same area.

She had been participating in a school swimming activity around 10.30am when she got into trouble and had to be resuscitated in front of shocked staff and students.

2.53pm on Mar 10, 2025

It’s an absolute disgrace’: Opposition calls for electoral commissioner to be suspended

Opposition leader Shane Love has called for the Western Australian Electoral Commissioner Robert Kennedy to be suspended, and a Parliamentary inquiry launched over Saturday’s state election conduct concerns.

He said there were growing reports of irregularities after the WAEC outsourced the election to a private company based in Singapore.

The outcome of today’s election could be delayed due to a record number of early votes.WA Electoral Commission

“It’s not sufficient to allow the Electoral Commission itself to review this matter, that would be like asking a fox to review the security of a hen house,” he said.

“We actually need to ensure that the West Australian public has confidence in their electoral process, and I think many West Australians would be surprised to know that a private company had been involved in the conduct of their election, and they would also be very concerned to know that voters had been turned away from polling booths after having been instructed that they would be ticked off as if they had voted.

“It’s not a matter of whether or not someone is ticked off the roll, it’s whether they have had a right to have a democratic expression through their vote, and not allowing that to happen is an abject failure of the commission.”

Love also claimed he had heard stories of election staff not being trained in their roles, some voters being asked for identification which is not required, and ballot boxes not being secured.

2.05pm on Mar 10, 2025

WATCH LIVE: Opposition leader Shane Love speaks on the election

Sticking with the wash-up from Saturday’s state election, predicted outgoing opposition leader Shane Love is about to hold a press conference.

It’s likely his party, the Nationals, will lose their opposition status once all the seats have been declared, with the Liberals currently looking like they will reclaim the title.

Watch the conference live below:

12.30pm on Mar 10, 2025

Fremantle election recount ‘a concern’, Independent says

Returning to the seat of Fremantle, which is embroiled in a neck-and-neck election contest between sitting Labor MP Simone McGurk and Independent ‘teal’ Kate Hulett.

The Electoral Commission, which is under fire for under resourcing polling day, has requested a recount of the vote, with a new focus on the preferencing for the Labor and Independent candidates.

Teal independent candidate for the WA state seat of Fremantle, Kate Hulett.Jarrad Seng

“This alternative two candidate preferred [count] will not have impact on the final distribution of preference count which determines the result of the election, and does not invalidate the counting that has already occurred in Fremantle,” the commission said.

The fresh count will get underway by 10am.

Meanwhile, Hulett has written to the commission expressing her concern about the recount of preferences following reports of ballots running out in Fremantle and voters being turned away from polling booths.

“At 5.30pm on Sunday evening, I received communication from the WA Electoral Commission that a partial recount of preferences in the Fremantle electorate would commence at 9am this morning,” she said.

“This was only three hours after I had received a direct undertaking from the WAEC that no recount would occur until next Tuesday once 100 per cent of Fremantle ballots had been received.

“We have registered our concern about a recount commencing today with only 60 per cent of Fremantle ballots so far received by the WAEC.

“I firmly believe that every vote should be counted in a clear, transparent process to ensure that Fremantle’s voice is heard.”

According to ABC’s tracker, with 60 per cent of the vote counted, Hulett is narrowly in front with 50.6 per cent of the vote, compared to McGurk on 49.4 per cent.

Hulett said the counting would not be complete until March 18.

11.19am on Mar 10, 2025

Perth obstetrician charged with manslaughter has medical licence suspended

The medical licence of a Perth obstetrician accused of killing a young woman during a high speed, drunken car crash in Dalkeith last month has been suspended.

Rhys Bellinge, 45, has been one of Perth’s leading fertility doctors for the past decade and worked at Concept Obstetrics and Gynaecology before he was charged with manslaughter.

However, an Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency spokeswoman has confirmed he is no longer able to practice medicine in Australia.

“Mr Bellinge was suspended under the Medical Board of Australia’s immediate action powers,” she said.

Last month, Bellinge was accused of driving his Jaguar up to 130km/h in a 50 zone when he lost control of his car and crashed head-on into an Uber vehicle, killing passenger Elizabeth Pearce, 24, and critically injuring the driver, Muhammad Usman, 25.

He claimed he was distressed from a recent separation from his wife and had tears in his eyes, preventing him from being able to see clearly.

He is currently behind bars after a failed attempt to be bailed to his father’s riverside mansion.

As it happened: WA news on Monday, March 10

Key Posts

Today’s headlines

Libs leadership speculation ‘not appropriate’ while votes are being counted: Zempilas

WATCH: Police pursuit ends in pair’s arrest in Forrestfield

Witnesses saw ‘massive shark maul surfer’ at WA beach

Fears for surfer after suspected shark attack near Esperance

Body found in water at Hillarys Boat Harbour

It’s an absolute disgrace’: Opposition calls for electoral commissioner to be suspended

WATCH LIVE: Opposition leader Shane Love speaks on the election

Fremantle election recount ‘a concern’, Independent says

Perth obstetrician charged with manslaughter has medical licence suspended

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