As it happened: WA news on Thursday, April 9

yesterday 4.32pm

Today’s headlines

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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:

Perth’s own Sam Kerr admits she is yet to come to terms with the heartbreak of the Matildas’ defeat to Japan in the AFC Women’s Asian Cup final as the national team’s focus shifts to next year’s FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil.

WA-born St Kilda AFL player Lance Collard is facing a disciplinary tribunal to determine whether he directed a homophobic comment at his Frankston opponent during a recent VFL match.

Deputy Premier Rita Saffioti says the government is delivering more housing projects despite Australian Bureau of Statistics data showing there is a widening gap between the number of homes completed in WA and the national housing accord target.

Treasurer Rita Saffioti said she was surprised to hear that the man who won a landmark historic child abuse case against the WA government will now have to pay Centrelink 10 per cent of his compensation.

While Italian football fans are still lamenting their nation missing out on qualification for this year’s World Cup, local supporters will get an opportunity to see four of the country’s biggest teams face-off in an exclusive pre-season tournament at Optus Stadium.

Australian Bureau of Statistics data has revealed 4441 homes were built in WA across the December 2025 quarter, bringing fresh warnings as the state slips further behind its National Housing Accord target.

A 39-year-old man has been arrested as the WA Police homicide squad investigates the death of a 69-year-old man in Padbury on Wednesday evening.

A drunk driver has been jailed for almost five years over a fatal hit-and-run in Mandurah almost two years ago.

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

yesterday 4.13pm

Man charged with murder over Padbury death

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To an update on the news we brought you earlier today of the death of a 69-year-old man at a home in Padbury overnight.

Police have now charged the 39-year-old they arrested, who was believed to be known to the man who died, with one count of murder.

Homicide squad detectives were called to investigate after police were called to the Buchanan Way home on Wednesday evening after receiving reports of an altercation.

They arrived to find the 69-year-old with critical injuries and provided emergency first aid until St John paramedics took the man to Royal Perth Hospital.

The man later died in hospital as a result of his injuries.

The 39-year-old was due to appear before Joondalup Magistrates Court on Friday.

yesterday 2.59pm

The 21-year-old giant-killer from WA who just banked $370,000 in three weeks

By Marc McGowan

You might still be in a post-Australian Open slumber and not have heard. Western Australia has a 21-year-old tennis player who spent March beating five top-20 opponents.

Her name is Talia Gibson, a hyper-aggressive, highly talented baseliner who now counts Jasmine Paolini, Naomi Osaka, Ekaterina Alexandrova, Iva Jovic and Clara Tauson among her scalps.

Gibson slashed her ranking from No.112 to a career-best 56 in a productive three-week stretch at Indian Wells and Miami. After toppling dual grand slam finalist Paolini to reach the Indian Wells Masters quarter-finals, she told reporters she was “speechless”.

Czech star Linda Noskova ended Gibson’s run there, but it took her three sets.

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yesterday 2.18pm

‘It sucks’: Sam Kerr is still digesting Matildas’ Asian Cup heartbreak

By Vince Rugari

Perth’s own Sam Kerr admits she is yet to come to terms with the heartbreak of the Matildas’ defeat to Japan in the AFC Women’s Asian Cup final as the national team’s focus shifts to next year’s FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil.

It has been less than three weeks since Australia’s shattering 1-0 loss to the Nadeshiko, which left senior players like Kerr in disbelief after they produced their best performance of the tournament, only to fall agonisingly short once again.

But they are back together already, with this month’s FIFA Series friendlies in Kenya marking the start of their World Cup preparations, having sealed their qualification by reaching the Asian Cup’s final four.

The Matildas face world No.153-ranked Malawi on Saturday (9pm AEST), and will play a second match against either India or Kenya next week.

yesterday 2.08pm

WA-born Saint alleged to have used homophobic slur

By Peter Ryan

WA-born St Kilda AFL player Lance Collard is facing a disciplinary tribunal to determine whether he directed a homophobic comment at his Frankston opponent during a recent VFL match.

Collard, who was drafted from Subiaco in the 2023 national draft, denies he said the word he is alleged to have used and has maintained that stance with investigators.

Two Frankston players and an umpire will be called by the AFL in relation to the allegation against Collard who vigorously denies using the homophobic slur ‘f-—-t’ as has been alleged.

Collard is being represented by Michael Borsky KC and leading the AFL case is senior counsel Andrew Woods.

Follow the live blog of the proceedings here.

yesterday 1.33pm

Saffioti stands by housing record despite ABS data shortfall

By Hamish Hastie

Following on from one of our earlier stories today, Deputy Premier Rita Saffioti says the government is delivering more housing projects despite Australian Bureau of Statistics data showing there is a widening gap between the number of homes completed in WA and the national housing accord target.

Only 4441 homes were built across Western Australia in the December 2025 quarter -- a 13.5 per cent drop in the number of completed homes compared to the September quarter and the fourth consecutive drop.

Saffioti said she expected the March quarter’s figures to be boosted by a range of housing projects that came online.

“What we’ve seen in only in recent weeks, of course, we’ve seen the Common Ground open, and that’s for people who are homeless, but also those that may be facing losing their homes,” she said.

“We’ve got, of course, more affordable housing through places like Fraser suites as well, and we’re continuing delivering new housing projects through East Perth and Northbridge as well.”

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yesterday 12.58pm

Abuse survivor cops $215,000 Centrelink bill

By Hamish Hastie

Treasurer Rita Saffioti said she was surprised to hear that the man who won a landmark historic child abuse case against the WA government will now have to pay Centrelink 10 per cent of his compensation.

Dion Barber was awarded $2.85 million in compensation from the WA government in September last year for the abuse he endured as a ward of the state while he was a child.

9 News Perth reported he is now required to pay Centrelink $215,000 to pay back unemployment benefits he received intermittently during his life because the compensation paid covered lost income as a result of the PTSD stemming from his abuse.

Barber told 9 the compensation didn’t even reach what he’d lost in income and was now being forced to pay some of it back.

“It is diminishing a person when they have already been diminished,” he said.

yesterday 12.36pm

WA ministers defend secrecy over tourism event costs

By Hamish Hastie

It wouldn’t be a Cook Government sporting event announcement today without its ministers defending the secretive nature of its negotiations with major sporting federations to secure the clashes.

In announcing the Calcio Italiano tournament and the Wallabies Italy clash at HBF Park in 100 days time at Langley Park this morning, both Tourism Minister Reece Whitby and Sport Minister Rita Saffioti said the events would easily pay back every taxpayer dollar spent and then-some.

“We go into every event on the basis that we’re going to have a greater return for the economy of Western Australia than the cost,” Whitby said.

“I have no doubt there will be keen interest in this event and as I said, it’s part of our commitment to tourism and to tourists.

yesterday 11.36am

Optus Stadium to host Italian football tournament

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While Italian football fans are still lamenting their nation missing out on qualification for this year’s World Cup, local supporters will get an opportunity to see four of the country’s biggest teams face-off in an exclusive pre-season tournament at Optus Stadium.

The Calcio Italiano tournament will see AC MIlan, FC Internazionale Milano, Juventus and Palermo head to WA for a series of three friendly matches scheduled for August.

The series is being billed as part of the state government’s Winter of Unmissable Sport which includes the Nations Championship rugby union showdown between Australia and Italy, several AFL matches, Perth SuperSprint, an NRL face-off between Melbourne Storm v Manly Warringah Sea Eagles, Backroads Gravel, and the Avon Descent.

Tourism Minister Reece Whitby said the Winter of Unmissable Sport will draw fans from around the world and place WA firmly on the international stage.

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