Home
Search
thewest.com.au
CountrymanChevron Right Icon

Countryman News

Avon Descent: The power boats rip through a pumping Bells Rapids on Day 2. Pictured is team 020. Michael Wilson

WA NewsCommentsRain made for ‘excellent water’ in Avon Descent thriller

Bumper winter rains made for an exhilarating Avon Descent for competitors and spectators alike.

Bethany Hiatt

Matt Wright is standing trial on three charges of attempting to pervert the course of justice. (Jono Searle/AAP PHOTOS)

AviationPremiumPilot admits faking flight times for reality TV star

Flight-time meters were regularly disconnected and paperwork was falsified for TV star Matt Wright's helicopters ahead of a fatal crash, a jury has heard.

Lloyd Jones

Federal Agriculture Minister Julie Collins during a visit to a Indonesian feedlot. Supplied

Live CattleAg Minister supports crucial live cattle in Indonesia visit

Federal Agriculture Minister Julie Collins is standing by her commitment to the “crucial” Australian live cattle trade, reaffirming her stance with a three-day visit to Indonesia last week.

Georgia Campion

Episode 3 co-founder Andrew Whitelaw. Georgia Campion

Future BeefEpisode 3 co-founder optimistic of Australian beef future

Market analyst and Episode 3 co-founder Andrew Whitelaw is optimistic of the Australian beef industry’s “rosy” future amidst an increase in popularity of locally-sourced beef.

Georgia Campion

Lake King townsite is set to receive a back-up power supply in mid 2026 developed by Western Power to improve electricity reliability during unplanned power outages.

Power boost New back-up power supply to improve Lake King reliability

Western Power’s efforts to improve reliability in rural areas continue with the announcement of a back-up power supply to ensure electricity during unplanned outages in Lake King.

Hannah Whitehead

Regional Development Minister Stephen Dawson lands at Geraldton Airport safe and sound.

updated
updated
State PoliticsCommentsPremium
updated
WA minister settles mid-air scare nerves with Macca’s burger

Regional Development Minister Stephen Dawson’s jet was forced to make an emergency landing in Geraldton — and a cheeseburger and chips were just the thing to settle the nerves after a ‘scary’ experience.

Jessica Page

Don Lindsay

opinion
opinion
OpinionCommentsPremium
opinion
Foreign invaders in Australian trees on the march

A silent invader in Australia’s ecosystem will continue to run riot after the government pulled out of eradication after investing $60 million.

Carol Booth

Kendenup resident Dave Williams is looking forward to see the Kendenup Town Hall as an intimate venue in the Festival of Small Halls.

SMALL HALL REVIVEDPremiumMusic festival reignites Kendenup Hall as town’s heartbeat

The chair of the Kendenup Town Hall committee says an upcoming folk music festival is the “perfect launching pad” to celebrate and raise awareness of the integrity of town halls to rural communities. 

Melissa Sheil

WAFarmers Dairy Conference Dairy Export Markets panellists. Pictured: Dairy Australia trade manager Catherine Taylor, Harvey River Estate owner Kevin Sorgiovanni, Bannister Downs managing director Sue Daubney, Jas-Australia managing director Jason Radford, Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development principal business development manager Terry Burnage and Western Australia Dairy Industry Working Group chair Brad Weir.

untapped potentialPremiumWA dairy’s export future hinges on volume and unity

Dairy experts say the WA industry needs to make the most of available export opportunities but milk volumes and the financial capacity of dairy farmers are the biggest barriers to success.

Melissa Pedelty

Maintenance and electrical workers at CBH’s Kwinana Grain Terminal will strike on Friday over stalled EBA negotiations with the grain handling giant.

Grain StrikePremiumCBH workers to strike over stalled EBA negotiations

CBH workers at the Kwinana Grain Terminal will strike against WA’s largest grain handler on Friday over stalled enterprise agreement negotiations.

Georgia Campion

Cattle at the Port Hedland Export Depot on July 29, 2020.

Live Cattle AppealClass action claimants launch live export appeal

Class action claimants against the unlawful 2011 live cattle export ban have launched an appeal against the Federal Court’s ruling the ban had no effect on low export numbers in following years.

Georgia Campion

WA Farm Direct commercialisation manager Sean Engelbrecht

Apple TradeBravo apples debut in United States as Soluna

Locally grown Bravo apples have hit US grocery shelves following the inaugural shipment of the internationally-branded Soluna apples.

Georgia Campion

Ted Powell is Director of the Ragdoll Foundation which he created with his late wife, Dee Powell.

WA NewsCommentsPremiumPerth businessman donates $100 million to WA university

A Perth businessman has donated the largest grant ever given to a WA university.

Caitlin Vinci

Broome Common Export Depot manager Tom Jury, Federal Liberal leader Sussan Ley, and cattle vet Tracy Sullivan at the Depot, near Broome.

DEPOT STOPPremiumSussan Ley ‘blown away’ by Broome Common Export Depot

Sussan Ley has paid tribute to the WA beef industry’s “huge potential” and doubled down on the Liberals’ commitment to live cattle exports after visiting the Broome Common Export Depot near Broome. 

Cally Dupe and Oliver Lane

Grower Group Alliance chief executive officer Rikki Foss.

Funding SlashedPremiumGGA stunned by total funding cut from State Government

The Grower Group Alliance is reeling from a complete funding cut from the State Government in the latest Budget, a move that chief executive Rikki Foss says is “surprising” and “disappointing”.

Georgia Campion

Happy, healthy cattle at Carlton Hill Station in WA.

OPINIONPremiumUS beef imports threaten WA livestock industry

From the vast stations of the Kimberley to feedlots in the Great Southern, this is an industry that not only supports more than 10,000 regional jobs but also underpins billions of dollars in export revenue. 

Dean Smith

Cattle ranchers in Mexico have contended with severe drought and now a new threat - screwworm. (AP PHOTO)

BusinessPremiumFlesh-eating parasite rattles Mexican cattle producers

The US has suspended live cattle imports from Mexico due to concerns about the New World Screwworm, a flesh-eating parasite found in southern Mexico.

Staff Writers

Matt Wright has pleaded not guilty to three counts of attempting to pervert the course of justice. (Lloyd Jones/AAP PHOTOS)

Law and orderPremiumOutback Wrangler trial finally set to get under way

Reality TV star Matt Wright will face trial on charges of attempting to pervert the course of justice following a fatal helicopter crash in 2022.

Lloyd Jones

Atlantic Vanadium’s Windimurra project near Mt Magnet.

Rates debatePremiumCouncil in mining rates stoush vows to continue fight

The boss of a Mid West shire at the centre of a legal dispute over mining companies paying land rates says the issue is “not dead” after the State Government moved to draw up new laws that side with industry.

Kate Campbell, Rebecca Le May & Simone Grogan

A government decision has ended an effective 20-year ban on US beef coming into Australia. NewsWire / Nikki Short

US BEEF PremiumSenate blocks US beef inquiry as industry demands review

A Senate inquiry into the Federal Government’s decision to allow more US beef imports into Australia has been voted down, despite growing concern from industry leaders.

Cally Dupe

WA Agricultural Research Collaboration director Kelly Pearce (inset). Main: Polyphagous shot-hole borer.

Pest ControlWA scientists to tackle shot-hole borer management

WA scientists are banding together to tackle the mammoth task of controlling and managing the polyphagous shot-hole borer through three research projects to minimise the risk of infestation beyond Perth.

Georgia Campion

Amazon's Project Kuiper satellites will be used to deliver better broadband for some regions. (James Ross/AAP PHOTOS)

InternetPremiumAmazon technology tapped for regional broadband boost

Bush advocates have welcomed a new deal to use a tech giant's satellite network to boost NBN speeds in regional and rural areas.

Alex Mitchell

Australian consumers are unlikely to see US beef on their local supermarket shelves with Woolworths, Coles, and Aldi saying they have "no plans" to stock non-locally sourced beef.

No BeefUS beef spurned by Aussie supermarket giants

Australia’s major supermarkets and fast food chains have no plans to stock beef from Canada or Mexico and slaughtered in the US, despite the Albanese Government lifting a long-standing import ban last month

Georgia Campion

Enforcement of safety standards could lower farming deaths involving quad bikes, research indicates. (Mark Tadic/AAP PHOTOS)

FARM DEATHSCommentsPremiumQuad bike deaths drop, but experts say more action required

Quad bike deaths in Australia have fallen slightly since new safety standards were introduced five years ago but experts say stronger enforcement and safety measures are still urgently needed.

Cally Dupe