Home
Search
thewest.com.au
CountrymanChevron Right Icon

Countryman News

Grain Bulk Handlers Association representative Bob Iffla.

‘DETRIMENTAL AFFECT’ PremiumFarmers sound freight cost alarm in letter to CBH

WA grain growers have written to the directors of CBH Group, expressing alarm over rising freight costs, road safety risks, and the “detrimental” long-term effect of the closure of the Tier 3 lines. 

Cally Dupe

##ONLINE OUT UNTIL AFTER 6PM## Western Power attend to some power lines as power outages have been reported across Perth

WA NewsPerth power outages restored after Sunday afternoon storm

More than 104,000 homes and businesses have had their power restored more than 36 hours after a summer storm lashed through the State’s south on Sunday afternoon.

Jessica Evensen

At least 16 people were killed in the attack on a Jewish Hanukkah event.

UPDATED‘Coward’: Barnaby loses it over gun rules

Barnaby Joyce has fired up over proposed gun reforms after the Bondi massacre, calling anyone who targets law-abiding firearm owners a “coward”.

Nathan Schmidt

Fires burn in Gidgegannup and Bindoon today 7NEWS

updated
updated
BushfiresComments
updated
Firefighters still battling out-of-control blazes across WA

Major roads are closed and an evacuation centres have been set up.

Harriet Flinn and Charlton Hart

More than 30,000 West Australians are still without power more than 12 hours after a storm tore through the State’s Perth metropolitan, Mid West and Wheatbelt regions. 

WA NewsCommentsThousands eligible for payment after WA’s power outage chaos

Western Power was still working on Monday to restore power after a summer storm battered the State’s south bringing damaging winds, heavy rainfall and large hailstones.

Jessica Evensen

WA’s bushfire emergency alert system was down in the middle of five bushfire emergencies. Both the application and website was back up and running by 3.45pm, according to the Department of Fire and Emergency Services.

updated
updated
WA NewsComments
updated
WA’s emergency alert system working after tech difficulties

The system was thrown into chaos on Monday afternoon.

Caleb Runciman

13 fire crews responded to the blaze in the Shire of Plantagenet.

BUSHFIREForest Hill blaze burns 20ha before being contained

Firefighters are patrolling Forest Hill in the Shire of Plantagenet on Monday to mop up after a fire burnt 20ha of bush and farmland on Sunday afternoon and required aerial support to contain.

Melissa Sheil

CBH Group chief executive Ben Macnamara.

CBH Results PremiumCBH posts $208.3m surplus despite M&T loss

CBH Group has reported a surplus of $208.3 million, up on last year’s $73.8 million result, powered by last year’s bumper harvest and what it says is “strong supply chain performance”. 

Cally Dupe

Road Safety Minister Reece Whitby and Transport Minister Rita Saffioti announce a road safety funding package at the Main Roads Road Network Operations Centre.

state politics CommentsPremium‘Idiot’ drivers warned about new cameras, tougher penalties

A mercy rule for drivers with clean records will be decided over the next 12 months, but the Police and Road Safety Minister has warned there’ll be tougher penalties to force repeat offenders off WA roads. 

Jessica Page

Retailers say tighter pricing regulations will drive up costs and shoppers will miss "great deals". (Joel Carrett/AAP PHOTOS)

economic policyPrice gouging ban will drive up costs: supermarkets

Lower grocery bills are being promised with a price gouging ban but supermarket giants and retailers say shoppers will be the ones to bear the brunt of costs.

Andrew Stafford, Farid Farid and Tess Ikonomou

WA agribusiness leader David Lock has been named as the next chancellor of Curtin University.

EducationCommentsPremium‘Visionary leader’ named Chancellor of Curtin University

WA agribusiness leader David Lock has been named as the next chancellor of Curtin University.

Bethany Hiatt

Profits for Australian stevedore companies have hit a record high without productivity increases. (Ben Symons/AAP PHOTOS)

TransportUnchecked port profits risk entrenching cost-of-living

Australian consumers and businesses could face escalating prices from stevedores making huge profits charging record prices to freight and shipping operators.

William Ton

Domain says Esperance households need an annual income of only $78,000 to rent comfortably in the south-eastern coastal town.

Rental affordability researchPremiumEsperance’s rentals most affordable in WA

Esperance has taken the prize for having the equal-lowest-cost rental market in regional WA, with households needing an annual income of just $78,000 to rent comfortably. 

Jessica Antoniou

Westpac is under fire for dropping plans to cut lending to customers linked to deforestation. (Joel Carrett/AAP PHOTOS)

BankingCommentsPremium'Of no value': Westpac defends dumped deforestation pledge

Westpac's agricultural customers were clear. Its stand against deforestation is of no value, so the bank dropped plans for a forest protection policy.

Derek Rose

CSBP Fertilisers supply chain manager Jonathan Hams with S04 upstream operations superintendent Kris Flatman on site at SO4’s Lake Way production facility near Wiluna.

Certainty of supplyPremiumLocally produced fertiliser compounds lift supply volumes

WA fertiliser juggernaut CSBP is ramping up production at its Australian-first Kwinana Granulation Plant, with plans to produce more than 200,000 tonnes of compound fertiliser during the 2026-27 season. 

Cally Dupe

Kunmallup Pastoral co-owner Bindi Murray, of Woodanilling.

Growing Leadership Scholarship recipientsPremiumGrowing Leadership Scholarship recipients announced

The recipients of the 2026 Growing Leaders Scholarship include Bindi Murray, of Kunmallup Pastoral in Woodanilling, and Ruth Young from Wyening Mission Farm in Calingiri. 

Bob Garnant

The Bureau of Meteorology has updated its rain radar and weather map in a bid to make it easier for users to navigate after a backlash over its $96.5m new website spend.

AustraliaCommentsBOM tinkers with website after massive backlash

The Bureau of Meteorology has updated its rain radar and weather map in a bid to make it easier for users to navigate after a backlash over its $96.5m new website spend. 

Claire Sadler

Several cows have died following the livestock truck rollover. (James Ross/AAP PHOTOS)

TRUCK ROLLOVERPremiumCows dead after road train rollover in Ongerup

Several cattle have died after the road train they were being carried on rolled near Ongerup on Wednesday morning. 

Hannah Whitehead

West River farmer Mark Mudie. Cally Dupe

Farming StalwartPremiumTributes flow in remembrance of West River farmer Mark Mudie

Tributes from the WA agricultural community and surrounding shires have poured in after the death of West River farmer Mark Mudie who died protecting his farm from a bushfire.

Georgia Campion

There is an immediate threat to lives and homes, with residents urged to act now to survive. (Adobe Stock)

updated
updated
BushfiresComments
updated
West River bushfire controlled after two days, razes 500ha

Firefighters have successfully contained and controlled a large bushfire two days after it broke out in West River and Fitzgerald and sparked an emergency evacuation warning.

Jacki Elezovich and Melissa Sheil

Former One Nation senator Rod Culleton leaving court.

Courts & JusticePremiumEx-senator Rod Culleton sentenced for lying about bankruptcy

Former One Nation senator Rod Culleton has been sentenced after failing to disclose his bankruptcy status on his nomination for the 2022 Federal election. 

Claire Sadler

Nat Fyfe hinted at life after football during a surprise visit from Sam Newman.

AFLCommentsNat Fyfe on farm life: ‘I’d rather be here than preseason’

Retired Fremantle gun Nat Fyfe has given an answer on his desire to return to football and gave a peek into his post-retirement life during a surprise visit from AFL legend Sam Newman. 

Fraser Williams

Heather and Mark Adams on their farm in the Great Southern.

Community TributesPremiumMissing WA farmer off south coast remembered as a ‘legend’

A beloved Great Southern farmer who went missing off the coast of Albany last week is being remembered as a “legend” for his community spirit and willingness to share and impart his knowledge.

Georgia Campion

Ruldoph and friends have been spotted prancing around Bridgetown.

Christmas PremiumReindeer run rampant across Bridgetown

Ruldoph and friends have been spotted prancing around Bridgetown.

Serian Lockwood-Jones