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This was published 1 year ago

As it happened: WA news on Friday, March 21

Daile Cross
Updated ,first published

Key Posts

McGovern says backman Edwards was left to fend for himself on an “island”
Facebook shuts down Lifeline WA’s page
Light plane crashes north of Northampton
Perth researchers sound alarm after Ningaloo bleaching survey

Thank you for joining us

By Jesinta Burton

We’re bringing our live blog to a close for today. Thank you for joining us.

Here’s a recap of some of our top stories:

  • A man in his 60s has died following a light plane crash near Northhampton this morning.
  • The manhunt continues for two men after a bottle shop worker was attacked during a burglary in Perth’s north-east overnight.
  • A man who allegedly took police on a dramatic high-speed pursuit through Perth on Thursday that ended at Scarborough Beach will remain behind bars after opting not to apply for bail.
  • The WA Electoral Commission has launched a probe into the Pilbara election count after the Liberal camp lodged complaints about sexist remarks made by commission staff and Labor MP Kevin Michel’s decision to buy counting staff lunch.
  • A probe by the Auditor General has uncovered it took the Department of Communities four days to find 12 children under its care because their location was not entered into the usual software used to store confidential information.
  • The Nationals’ Scott Leary has won the seat of Albany, narrowly defeating controversial Liberal candidate Tom Brough. The news is a huge blow to the WA Liberal Party, which are hoping to secure opposition party status.
  • A 19-year-old has become the first Australian convicted for transmitting violent extremist material online after pleading guilty to posting Islamic State content on social media and being sentenced to three years’ jail.
  • Curtin University researchers have sounded the alarm over the health of the state’s World Heritage Listed Ningaloo Reef, after surveys uncovered widespread coral bleaching in up to 90 per cent of some areas.
  • The Zorzi brothers have broken their silence following the collapse of their father’s 70-year-old construction legacy less than six years after they exited the luxury building firm.

Have a wonderful weekend, readers.

We’ll be back on Monday to bring you the news you need to know.

McGovern says backman Edwards was left to fend for himself on an “island”

By

Star West Coast defender Jeremy McGovern says fellow backman Harry Edwards was left to fend for himself on an “island” during last week’s 87-point loss to Gold Coast.

The off-season trade of Tom Barrass to Hawthorn means Edwards has now been entrusted with shutting down some of the competition’s best key forwards on a weekly basis.

The 24-year-old was given a rude awakening last week when he had six goals kicked on him by Gold Coast forward Ben King.

Premiership-winning Eagle Tom Barrass is now a Hawk.AFL Photos

Edwards will no doubt end up on a poster after King took a spectacular mark-of-the-year contender on the West Coast defender’s shoulders in the third quarter.

Man fronts court over police chase that ended on Scarborough Beach

By Rebecca Peppiatt

Turning to the courts now, and a man who allegedly took police on a dramatic high-speed pursuit through Perth on Thursday that ended at Scarborough Beach will remain behind bars after opting not to apply for bail.

Leigh Jason Scully, 46, is facing a raft of charges, including the theft of a car, items from Bunnings, possession of meth and dangerous driving.

Leigh Jason Scully.Facebook

The Beaconsfield man made headlines on Thursday when beachgoers captured his arrest at the popular northern suburbs beach after he got bogged while trying to escape police.

Police allege he stole the Prado he was driving in Rockingham about 9am yesterday.

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Man dies in light plane crash north of Northampton

By Jesinta Burton

And in breaking news, WA Police have confirmed a man has died following a light plane crash in a remote area near Northhampton.

In a statement released this afternoon, authorities confirmed the pilot and sole occupant of the plane — a man in his 60s — died at the scene of the crash in Ogilvie, about 47 kilometers north of Northampton.

It is understood officers from the Australian Transport Safety Bureau will attend the scene and investigate the cause of the crash.

Emergency services were alerted to the incident about 11.30am this morning following reports of a plane wreckage in the vicinity of Ogilvie Road West.

Zorzi brothers express ‘deep sadness’ amid collapse of father’s legacy firm

By Jesinta Burton

The Zorzi brothers have expressed their sadness at the collapse of their father’s 70-year-old construction legacy, less than six years after they exited the eponymous luxury building firm.

Administrators at Hall Chadwick were handed the reins to Mercedes Group on Thursday afternoon, the entity that trades as Zorzi Builders and Grandwood Homes.

The appointment followed several months of persistent speculation about the financial viability of the company.

In a statement penned by the family, Walter and Eric Zorzi - who sold their interests in Mercedes Group in 2019 alongside business partner Peter Belcastro - said they were “saddened” by the news and the impact it would have on those in the company’s orbit.

“As longstanding industry professionals with a legacy spanning 50 years, [Wally, Eric and Peter] are deeply saddened by the news that the company has been placed into administration by its directors,” the family said.

Facebook shuts down Lifeline WA’s page

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Social media giant META has shut down Lifeline WA’s Facebook page without warning.

Lifeline said Facebook was a critical channel for communicating Lifeline’s 13 11 14 crisis support service, fundraising and recruiting volunteer crisis supporters.

But the Facebook page had now been closed for more than 36 hours.

Lifeline WA believes the decision is a mistake.nna\miriah.davis

“We know that META’s decision is a mistake, but don’t know how to resolve it,” said chief executive Lorna MacGregor.

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Marlion Pickett court case kicked down the road again

By Rebecca Peppiatt

Marlion Pickett’s criminal charges over his alleged involvement in several burglaries have come before the courts again today, but the former AFL star remains in Melbourne, having only been to court in Perth once since being arrested in June 2023.

Pickett, who debuted for the Richmond Tigers as a mature-age recruit in the 2019 grand final, faces 12 charges, including stealing, criminal damage to a property and aggravated burglary.

Police allege Pickett and his brother-in-law, along with four other co-accused, targeted businesses in Perth and the northern suburbs of Nollamara, Girrawheen and Beechboro, and the regional town of Beverley, between December 2022 and January 2023, taking a total of $380,000 from safes.

Marlion Pickett.Getty Images

He was charged in 2023, but has only been to court once – at his first appearance – before being released on bail with conditions that allowed him to continue with his AFL commitments.

Light plane crashes north of Northampton

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A light plane has crashed in a remote area near Northhampton.

Emergency services were called about 11.30am with multiple ambulance crews sent to the location.

The accident happened in Ogilvie, about 47 kilometers north of Northampton.

“About 11.15am today, a member of the public reported to police after observing a plane wreckage in the vicinity of Ogilvie Road West,” a police spokeswoman said.

“It is believed the pilot was the sole occupant of the plane. The level of injuries are unknown.”

Emergency services are on the scene.

Courts and crime

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Good afternoon and thank you for staying with us today.

Reporter Rebecca Peppiatt writes that a mother has been released on bail two days after she was jailed over the car crash that killed her twin daughters.

Rachel Van Oyen, 32, was sentenced in Northam Magistrates Court on Wednesday to eight months imprisonment for each of two counts of careless driving, to be served concurrently. The sentence was ordered to be part served, meaning she would spend two months behind bars and the rest of her sentence at home.

Peppiatt also brings us the news that a group of six boys face a fresh set of charges over a spate of homophobic attacks in Perth where they allegedly used gay dating app Grindr to lure men to various locations before assaulting them with knives, a crow bar and a Taser.

Four men were allegedly assaulted over two days in September last year in the suburbs of South Lake and Hamilton Hill.

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Perth researchers sound alarm after Ningaloo bleaching survey

By Jesinta Burton

To some breaking news now, and Curtin University researchers have sounded the alarm over the health of the state’s World Heritage Listed Ningaloo Reef, after surveys uncovered widespread coral bleaching in up to 90 per cent of some areas.

Associate Professor Zoe Richards and PhD candidate David Juszkiewicz conducted coral biodiversity and health surveys at almost two dozen sites over a one-week period after a severe marine heatwave began impacting north-west earlier this year.

Ningaloo bleaching February 2025.Blue Media Exmouth, Brooke Pyke

Associate Professor Richards from Curtin’s School of Molecular and Life Sciences said the full extent of the ecological damage sustained among corals from the Kimberley to Broome, through the Pilbara, Dampier Archipelago, Murion Islands and Ningaloo was yet to be revealed.

But with bleaching events known to disrupt the corals’ ability to reproduce and some taking between three and six years to become reproductively viable, associate professor Richards warned the event could stifle the reef’s replenishment.

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