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STAFF REPORTER

The state government has tweaked funding arrangements to attract a former Rhodes Scholar to the role of Solicitor General.

Attorney General Christian Porter said today that Grant Donaldson SC would start as Solicitor General for Western Australia on Monday.

“Mr Donaldson’s varied breadth and quality of legal and courtroom experience make him an ideal permanent appointment to the position,” Mr Porter said.

“He has an appreciation of wider public policy issues as well as experience in commercial, private and criminal law litigation.”

Robert Mitchell SC had been acting in the role since June 2011.

“Mr Mitchell has contributed a great deal during his time as acting Solicitor General,” Mr Porter said.

“His legal knowledge and expertise have proved invaluable on a wide range of matters.”

The former Solicitor General, Mr Robert Meadows QC, retired from the position on July 18, 2011.

On June 28, 2011, Mr Mitchell was appointed on an acting basis for 12 months or until a permanent appointment was made.

Mr Donaldson was admitted to practice in WA in 1987, having completed a Bachelor of Jurisprudence and Bachelor of Laws (Hons) from The University of WA, and a Bachelor of Civil Law from Oxford University.

He was the WA Rhodes Scholar in 1986, and is a member of the Football Club Board of the mighty Fremantle Dockers.

Since 1998, he has practised as a barrister at Francis Burt Chambers and was appointed Senior Counsel in 2004.

Mr Donaldson’s salary, determined by the Salaries and Allowances Tribunal, has been adjusted to take account the retention of his right to limited private practice.

Mr Porter said this was a slight change to previous practice and had been designed to allow the government to attract the most senior counsel from the bar.

STAFF REPORTER

Political machinations of the past few days have implications for the survival of a Labor Government if Kevin Rudd deposes Julia Gillard as leader, says a legal expert from The Australian National University in Canberra.

This afternoon, Mr Rudd announced his resignation as Foreign Minister – clearing the way for him to challenge for the leadership from the Labor back bench.

Labor holds 72 seats in the House of Representatives and governs with the support of the Greens and three Independents – giving it a majority of 76.

This compares to 72 for the Liberal/National Coalition, which, with the support of Independent Bob Katter, gives it a nominal 73 votes.

The Speaker, Peter Slipper, is also an Independent.

Donald Rothwell of the ANU College of Law says that if Mr Rudd were elected Labor leader it would be questionable whether his government could be presumed to have the same level of support as the current Gillard one.

“That appears doubtful as Tony Windsor has indicated that if Gillard is deposed as Labor leader then ‘all bets are off’,” Professor Rothwell says.

“Rob Oakeshott has also expressed similar reservations.”

Professor Rothwell said if Mr Rudd were to assume the leadership he could seek to renegotiate the support of Mr Oakeshott and Mr Windsor.

But if this were to occur during a Parliamentary sitting week the Coalition could exploit any uncertainty by introducing a motion of No Confidence against Mr Rudd and the Labor Government.

“If that motion succeeded then Rudd would have little choice but to advise the Governor-General that the Parliament should be dissolved and an early election be held,” Professor Rothwell said.

“The Governor-General may accept that advice, or choose to explore with Tony Abbott whether he could command the confidence of the House.

“If Abbott was able to demonstrate to the Governor-General that he did have the confidence of the House then an Abbott Government could be commissioned.

“However, this would require some of the existing supporters of the Gillard Labor Government to switch allegiance to an Abbott Coalition Government.”

Photo: Adam Carr, Wikipedia

STAFF REPORTER

The world’s biggest computer – capable of storing the data of 15 million iPods each day – will be needed to power the world’s most powerful telescope which local stargazers want located in Western Australia.

The planned telescope – or Square Kilometre Array – is likely to need the huge computer to handle the gargantuan amount of data it will produce.

The International Centre for Radio Astronomy Research – a collaboration between usual arch rivals Curtin University and the University of Western Australia – is working out how to store the data without breaking the bank.

The joint venture is working with the Canadian Astronomical Data Centre to cost a new computer to handle everything the telescope needs for the best price.

The $2 billion telescope project will generate one exabyte – more than 15 million iPods-worth – of raw data a day which would cost hundreds of millions of dollars to store using current technology.

The result of the Australian and New Zealand bid to host the SKA – in competition with a group of southern African countries – is expected in April.

If the Australasian consortium wins, the mega project will be 315 kilometres northeast of Geraldton.

Credit: Artist’s impression of the SKA dishes by SPDO/TDP/DRAO/Swinburne Astronomy Productions.

STAFF REPORTER

January saw an increase in property activity across Western Australia but it was not enough to stop the financial year to date being the worst on record since the shocker year the GST was introduced.

Mike Bradford, the boss of state government land information arm Landgate, today revealed that the number of property documents lodged in January increased by 14 per cent compared to January last year.

“This improvement was buoyed by the number of strata lots created in January, which increased by almost 6 per cent when compared with January last year,” Mr Bradford said.

“However, with the exception of the anomalous year the GST was introduced, 2000-2001, the figures for this financial year to date are the lowest figures seen since 1996-1997.”

Mr Bradford said the figures pointed to a continued subdued market.

“Overall, property activity for January was down 33 per cent compared to January in the boom years of 2005-2006,” he said.

STAFF REPORTER

FEBRUARY 18 UPDATE: Mount Barker police have called off a search of Porongorup National Park after several reports of a male voice calling for help.

Police spokesman Gerry Cassidy had said the search centred on the Nancy’s Peak area.

Sergeant Cassidy said that several residents of a housing estate at the base of the Porongorup Range had heard the call for help.

The cries were heard separately and over an extended period of time from 10.30am to 7.00pm on Thursday.

The search started late Thursday and resumed Friday morning involving police, the State Emergency Service and volunteers.

Sergeant Cassidy said no person had been reported missing in the area.

The search found nobody in distress and has been called off.

STAFF REPORTER

Seniors’ advocate group Retirees WA has been granted the right to collectively negotiate cheap funerals for its members.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission today announced it would not stand in the way of Retirees WA’s bid for a 10-year approval to collectively bargain with the WA Funeral Directors’ Association and other independent funeral directors.

Similar arrangements have been authorised at various times since 1986.

“The ACCC considers that the collective bargaining arrangements result in significant savings on funeral costs for members of Retirees WA (Inc),” Acting Commission chairman Michael Schaper said.

“The ACCC is satisfied that the voluntary nature of the arrangements, the limited scope and composition of the collective bargaining groups and the history of good outcomes mean that the likelihood of any potential detriment is minimal.”

STAFF REPORTER

Latest population projections for Western Australia show the state will probably bust through the 3 million population barrier in less than 14 years.

State planning minister John Day today said that by 2026, WA’s population was projected to grow to 3,061,000 with the Perth and the Peel region projected to be between 2,275,000 and 2,356,000.

The statewide figure is about 400,000 higher than a previous projection made in 2006.

In June 2011, the state’s population was 2,346,400.

Mr Day contended the new projections for Perth illustrated the need for projects like the budget-blowing Northbridge Link and controversial Perth Waterfront.

“There is no doubt that we need these projects to help meet the needs of our growing city just as we need to continue to encourage the provision of a diversity of housing options and choices across Perth,” he claimed.

STAFF REPORTER

Investigations are underway into the death of a man who appears to have been hit by at least one truck near rural Balingup this morning.

Police spokesman Samuel Dinnison said that about 2:20am a truck driver reported that he may have had hit a person while travelling north on the South West Highway, about 5km south of Balingup.

Mr Dinnison said the truck driver had stopped further up the road.

A man, possibly a pedestrian, has been confirmed as dead.

Police are also investigating reports that a second truck may have struck the male after the initial call was made.

It is not known if the person was involved in an earlier accident on the road.

Main Roads WA is assisting with traffic management around the scene.

Anyone who saw a person either walking along South West Highway or with a trail bike on the highway between 2am and 3am should call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

In another rural road fatality this morning, a man was killed at York, East of Perth, about 7am.

Mr Dinnison said that about 7:15am police were alerted to a serious crash at the intersection of Quairading York Road and Top Beverley Road.

Mr Dinnison said it appeared the man’s car had left the road and travelled down an embankment, striking a tree.

A rescue helicopter was sent to the crash site but paramedics were unable to revive the driver.

STAFF REPORTER

The Maritime Union of Australia and a national labour-hire company are being prosecuted after a married Perth couple failed to get jobs under an alleged ‘no-ticket, no-start’ policy.

Prosecution documents lodged by the Fair Work Ombudsman in the Federal Court allege Offshore Marine Services Pty Ltd implemented a practice where membership of the MUA was needed for employment with OMS.

The Ombudsman alleges this led to OMS telling a married Perth couple in 2009 that to secure employment with the company they would have to become MUA members.

It is also alleged that the MUA, with knowledge of OMS’ alleged employment practice, refused the couple’s subsequent applications for union membership.

This ensured the jobs the two had applied for were instead given to existing MUA members. The couple never obtained work with OMS.

The Ombudsman alleges the conduct of OMS and the MUA breached freedom of association provisions of Federal workplace laws.

Under these provisions, it is unlawful for an employer to refuse to hire a worker based on whether the person is a union member.

A directions hearing was held in the Federal Court in Perth yesterday. The next hearing date has not yet been set.

Fair Work Ombudsman spokeswoman Karsten Lehn says emails and memos sent by OMS and the MUA would be presented in court as evidence of an alleged ‘no-ticket, no-start’ policy.

“We are seeking penalties in this case only in relation to alleged conduct relating to two workers but are concerned more widespread breaches of workplace relations laws may have occurred,” Mr Lehn said.

OMS and the MUA face maximum potential penalties of $33,000 each.

CHRIS THOMSON

Western Australia recorded the nation’s largest drop in alleged criminal offenders in 2010/11 despite a chillingly high number of murders.

Australian Bureau of Statistics figures released today reveal a large, 17 per cent, fall between 2009-10 and 2010-11 in the number of alleged offenders against whom WA Police took action.

The great sandy state recorded the largest drop in both male (17 per cent) and female (18 per cent) offenders.

After 40,370 offenders were recorded in 2008/09, and 40,859 in 2009/10 there was a big drop off to 33,891 in 2010/11.

Murdoch University criminologist Guy Hall said the results were “fascinating” and could have been caused by several factors.

VOLATILE

He said offender statistics tended to be volatile from year to year, but that the dropoff might reflect a greater emphasis on crime prevention over the past five years.

“About now is when you would see results of those sorts of initiatives kick in,” Associate Professor Hall said.

“It may also be that the work the Department for Child Protection is doing with families at risk is starting to pay off.”

He said the reduction might also be down to WA Police changing the way they report offenders.

oneperth.com.au has contacted the police to check if this occurred.

Edith Cowan University criminology lecturer Natalie Gately agreed police reporting practices could be one of several possible reasons for the dropoff.

“If it is a genuine fall, there’s some possible explanations in the literature,” Mrs Gately said.

“A greater emphasis on frontline policing is a possibility.

“If you have more police on the street and they are more visible then there is less crime.”

ROOT CAUSES

Mrs Gately said increased government efforts toward keeping youths out of the court system, and addressing the root causes of crimes, could be another factor.

Recent drops in amphetamine use, and the comparatively strong WA economy, were other possible reasons.

The ABS figures counted multiple offenders only once, and both experts said inferring that a lower crime rate might result could not yet be done.

“Quite often, a small number of offenders are doing a large amount of the crime,” Mrs Gately warned.

MURDERS, ROBBERY, BLACKMAIL

Despite the drop in offenders, WA has no room for complacency.

The ABS figures reveal the state’s 115 murders in 2010/11 was the second highest number in Australia behind the 322 recorded in New South Wales.

Next on the list were Victoria and Queensland – both with much larger populations than WA – which recorded 99 homicides each.

WA recorded the highest offender rates per 100,000 people for robbery (27) and blackmail/extortion (12).

The Northern Territory had the highest offender rates for assault (1053 per 100,000 people), sexual assault (67), harassment and threatening behaviour (51) and dealing/trafficking illicit drugs (196).