Aaron Bunch Journalist with Australian Associated Press | Collection of published work | + 61 484 008 119 | abunch@aap.com.au
Archive for February, 2024
Travellers affected as Qantas Group pilots strike
Thousands of passengers including FIFO workers have had their flight plans on a Qantas Group carrier disrupted as pilots walk off the job over a pay dispute. February 8, 2024 Flights have been disrupted for thousands of regional airline passengers and fly in, fly out workers after pilots working for a Qantas subsidiary walked off […]
Firefighting water bombers drop sewage water onto homes
Authorities have issued an alert after firefighting helicopters accidentally dropped effluent while battling a blaze in Perth’s northeast. February 8, 2024 Residents near a bushfire in Perth’s northeast have had sewage wastewater dropped on their properties by firefighting aircraft as the blaze threatened lives and homes. Authorities warned people in part of Bullsbrook in the […]
Detectives return to Broome, ex-Bishop’s home searched
Police say detectives are in Broome investigating historic child abuse allegations, amid media reports a former Catholic bishop’s home has been raided. February 8, 2024 Child abuse squad detectives have travelled to a popular holiday town as part of an investigation into historic sex offences. Police have searched the Western Australian home of the former […]
Stranded livestock ship set to return to port
A stranded live export ship is expected to return to port and could offload thousands of livestock after an application to export them to Israel was rejected. February 8, 2024 A ship carrying thousands of sheep and cattle is expected to return to port and could offload its cargo after Australian authorities rejected an application […]
Global warming fuels dangerous Aussie summer
A new Climate Council report says Australia’s summer of dangerous downpours, fatal floods and scorching heat is consistent with global warming. February 8, 2024 Australia’s volatile summer of fatal floods, scorching heat and fires and oppressive humidity is a sign the planet is warming fast, a report says. The 2023-24 summer has included the nation’s […]
More sizzling days tipped for parts of WA
Parts of Western Australia are set to bake, with the mercury tipped to climb above 40C amid severe heatwave conditions. February 7, 2024 West Australians are bracing for more scorching weather as another heatwave intensifies across large parts of the state. Perth is tipped to climb to 39C on Thursday and 41C on Friday and […]
Killer and rapist jailed indefinitely wins release
A notorious repeat offender, whose crimes include killing a pregnant woman and raping another, will be released from a West Australian jail next month. February 7, 2024 A man who raped a woman during a violent home invasion, and as a juvenile killed a pregnant mother and her baby in a high-speed crash, will be […]
Concerns stranded livestock could still go to Israel
Animal activists are concerned an exporter may re-apply to ship thousands of stranded sheep and cattle to the Middle East after an earlier attempt failed. February 6, 2024 The fate of thousands of sheep and cattle stuck on a vessel off Perth remains in limbo as animal advocates raise concerns a fresh application to export […]
Live export ship blocked from sailing to Israel
The federal government has rejected an application to send a stranded live export ship with thousands of sheep and cattle on board back to the Middle East. February 5, 2024 A stranded live export ship that has had thousands of sheep and cattle on board for a month will not be allowed to return to […]
Advocates call for action on stranded live export ship
Animal advocates have called for thousands of sheep and cattle to be unloaded from a stranded live export ship after reports some of the livestock has died. February 5, 2024 A month after a stranded live export ship loaded thousands of sheep and cattle aboard, animal advocates have called for all the animals to be […]
Two men dead after cliff crash, survivor stable
The sole survivor after a vehicle was driven over a cliff in remote WA killing two men is in a stable condition after being flown to a Perth hospital. February 5, 2024 The sole survivor of a crash after a four-wheel-drive carrying three men plunged over a cliff on a remote property in Western Australia […]
Pilot strike at Qantas subsidiary to hit fly-in workers
Regional travellers and fly-in fly-out workers could face delays in WA as pilots give notice of a full-day strike amid stalled pay negotiations. February 5, 2024 Hundreds of pilots working for a Qantas subsidiary could strike over stalled wage negotiations and cause flight disruptions and cancellations for regional travellers and FIFO workers. The Australian Federation of Air Pilots has […]
Cars, cash and handbags seized in money laundering bust
Two men have been charged after police uncovered an alleged money laundering syndicate selling luxury goods overseas. February 2, 2024 Hundreds of designer handbags, luxury cars and more than a million dollars of cash have been seized after police busted an illegal money laundering operation with international links. Two men, aged 36 and 55, have […]
Ship with 16,500 animals in limbo amid export decision
A live export ship loaded with sheep and cattle has returned to port, as the federal government decides if the animals will spend another month at sea. February 2, 2024 A ship carrying thousands of sheep and cattle that spent almost a month at sea has returned to a West Australian port while it waits […]
Perth Mint getting act together but still breaching law
A parliamentary committee has been told Perth Mint is getting its act together but continues to breach money laundering and counter-terrorism financing laws. February 2, 2024 While having already promised to clean up its act following thousands of breaches, Perth Mint has so far continued to break money laundering and counter-terrorism financing laws, a powerful […]
Western Australia bakes as scorching heatwave continues
A record-breaking heatwave in Western Australia has delivered another sizzling day of heat for residents across much of the state. February 2, 2024 Western Australia is sweating through another scorching day amid a heatwave that has melted many temperature records. Perth Airport had climbed to 42.7C before midday on Friday and the city reached 40.4, […]
Perth sizzles with record 45C in eastern suburbs
Residents of Perth have endured another searing day, with a record-breaking maximum temperature of 45.1C in the northeastern suburbs. February 1, 2024 Perth residents have sweated through another day of scorching temperatures, with the mercury peaking at a record-breaking 45.1C in the northeastern suburbs. Perth airport had climbed to 44.6C before midday on Thursday and […]
Ex-NT chief Michael Gunner resigns from Fortescue role
Former Northern Territory chief minister Michael Gunner has resigned from his job leading the Andrew Forrest-led Fortescue Future Industries. February 1, 2024 Former Northern Territory chief minister Michael Gunner is the latest big name to quit the Fortescue iron ore and green energy group chaired by Andrew “Twiggy” Forrest. Mr Gunner announced his decision on […]
Charges dropped over bushfire that razed 86 homes
Prosecutors have discontinued criminal charges against a man accused of starting a massive bushfire that destroyed 86 homes in Perth in 2021. February 1, 2024 A man accused of starting a devastating bushfire that destroyed 86 homes in Perth has had his criminal charges dropped days before he was due to face trial. Prosecutors alleged […]
Stranded ship with 16,500 sheep, cattle berths in WA
A stranded live export ship carrying about 16,500 animals has docked at Fremantle, where it is expected to be partially offloaded before resuming its journey. February 1, 2024 A ship carrying thousands of sheep and cattle that has been at sea for almost a month has docked in Western Australia, where some of the animals are expected […]
Scorcher bakes Perth, 45C reached in eastern suburbs
Residents of Perth are sweating through another searing day with the temperature climbing past 45C in some suburbs as heatwave conditions bake much of WA. February 1, 2024 Perth residents are enduring another day of scorching temperatures, with some eastern suburbs climbing to the mid-40s amid heatwave conditions across much of Western Australia. The Bureau […]
Australian woman selected for Roosevelt freedom award
Australian human rights advocate Grace Forrest will become only the second Australian to receive a Four Freedoms Award for work battling modern slavery. February 1, 2024 An Australian human rights advocate is poised to join luminaries such as Nelson Mandela and Ruth Bader Ginsburg as the recipient of a prestigious international award for her work […]