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Co-ops and mutuals welcome a recommendation for increased grocery competition in regional areas. (Con Chronis/AAP PHOTOS)

EconomyPremiumRegional shoppers paying price of supermarket dominance

Shoppers outside the cities will continue to pay higher prices for food and groceries without support to boost competition, a business council says.

Aaron Bunch

Pastoralists and Graziers Association of WA president Tony Seabrook and WAFarmers president John Hassell.

NO MERGERPremiumWAFarmers

WAFarmers leadership has ruled out pushing for a merger with the revived Pastoralists and Graziers Association after three board meetings to consider their options.

Cally Dupe

Basil Zempilas.

state politicsVideoPremiumWhy Basil Zempilas might still not be Opposition Leader

Incoming Liberal leader Basil Zempilas is depending on a lead of just 64 votes in Kalamunda to stave off a humiliating election tie with the Nationals that would leave the job of Opposition Leader in limbo.

Jessica Page

Kojonup farmer Steve McGuire. Daniel Wilkins

NEW PRESIDENTPremiumSteve McGuire named new WAFarmers president

Kojonup farmer Steve McGuire has been named the new president of WAFarmers, taking the reins from John Hassell who has stepped down after a “wonderful” four years. 

Cally Dupe

Donald Trump is being urged to impose tariffs on Australia’s wheat exports.

The West Australian exclusive
The West Australian exclusive
Federal PoliticsComments
The West Australian exclusive
Now Trump’s being lobbied to slap tariffs on Aussie wheat

United States President Donald Trump is being urged to impose tariffs on Australia’s wheat exports, with the American industry arguing an over-reliance on imports was a risk to national security.

Ellen Ransley and Jackson Hewett

Nationals WA candidate Scott Leary.

State politics CommentsPremiumNats claim six seats as Scott Leary wins Albany

Scott Leary — a former Liberal Party candidate — has won the seat of Albany for the Nationals, getting the edge over the Liberal Party’s controversial nominee Thomas Brough. 

Dylan Caporn

Coles said the company ‘welcomes any recommendations that improve transparency for suppliers and customers but cautions against measures that will increase red tape and drive up costs’. NewsWire/ Liam Kidston

newsPremiumDemand for supermarkets to fix shrinkflation

Woolworths and Coles could be forced to issue new warnings on all products to alert shoppers to a sneaky supermarket practice.

Jessica Wang

Basil Zempilas’ ascension to the leadership of the WA Liberals is days away after Libby Mettam was forced out of the top role on Thursday in the wake of the party’s crushing State election defeat.

updated
updated
state politics CommentsPremium
updated
Mettam resigns as Basil looks to step up as Liberal leader

Libby Mettam has stepped down as Liberal leader in the wake of the party’s disastrous State election defeat, clearing the way for Basil Zempilas.

Jessica Page and Dylan Caporn

University of New England professor Fran Cowley.

Better Beef 2025PremiumBetter Beef: Feedlots ‘low-hanging fruit’ to cut methane

Beef feedlotting has been labelled the ‘low-hanging fruit’ for agricultural emissions reduction despite accounting for about one per cent of all livestock methane emissions.

Cally Dupe

South Australian pastoralist Gillian Fennell.

SuccessionPremiumBetter Beef 2025: Succession planning like ‘sex, politics’

Succession planning is like sex and politics, we just don’t want to talk about it. 

Cally Dupe

Premier Roger Cook addresses the newly elected WA Labor Caucus at Parliament House on Tuesday.

State GovernmentPremiumBunbury MLA to take on newly minted ministerial role

Re-elected Bunbury MLA Don Punch has lost the coveted regional development portfolio in the WA Labor Government’s Cabinet reshuffle but will now serve as the newly created Minister for the South West.

Ezra Kaye

Collie Vet Jai Thomas has been awarded second in DPIRD’s Young Professionals in Agriculture Forum’s Noel Fitzpatrick medal for his ongoing research with cattle.

Young Professional of the yearSouth West vet’s research recognised and awarded

Collie Vet Jai Thomas has come runner-up in DPIRD’s Young Professionals in Agriculture Forum’s Noel Fitzpatrick medal for his research into cattle. 

Craig Duncan

Police are asking for the public’s help after a pedestrian was fatally hit by a truck while trying to cross Great Eastern Highway on Tuesday afternoon. 

WA NewsPedestrian killed in truck crash revealed as 38-year-old man

Police are asking for the public’s help after a pedestrian was fatally hit by a truck while trying to cross Great Eastern Highway on Tuesday afternoon. 

Caleb Runciman

Horsham grains farmer David Jochinke.

MENTAL HEALTHPremiumCall for immediate $50m mental health investment

A coalition of rural organisations has called for immediate action to address the mental health crisis in agriculture, with one Australian farmer dying by suicide every 10 days. 

Cally Dupe

Curtin MP Kate Chaney is under pressure to make her stance on the live export ban clear to WA farmers, who are threatening to wage war against her. 

The West Australian exclusive
The West Australian exclusive
Federal PoliticsCommentsPremium
The West Australian exclusive
Chaney faces live export ultimatum from Keep the Sheep

Curtin MP Kate Chaney is under pressure to make her stance on the live export ban clear to WA farmers, who are threatening to wage war against her. 

Caitlyn Rintoul

Elders chief executive Mark Allison.

BIG MERGERPremiumElders’ farm retail takeover bid delayed by the ACCC

A decision on whether agribusiness juggernaut Elders will be allowed to buy out rival Delta Ag for $475 million has been postponed by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission. 

Cally Dupe

ICPA WA treasurer Jasmine Carmody, State president Jane Cunningham and Secretary Kim Ross at the 2024 conference.

STATE CONFERENCE PremiumICPA unveils plans for 53rd conference

Telecommunications and regional school bus services will be major talking points when parents of some of the most geographically-isolated children in the State come together in Perth for an annual conference. 

Cally Dupe

The City of Albany is calling for a natural disaster to be declared after Albany and much of the Great Southern endured record rainfall and flash flooding on March 13 and 14.

support neededPremiumCity of Albany says floods call for natural disaster title

The City of Albany has called for a natural disaster to be declared after last Thursday’s record-breaking rainfall left much of Albany and the Great Southern with floods and water damage.

Jacki Elezovich

Gina Rinehart

TradePremiumRinehart calls for less red tape, Paris Accord exit

Mining billionaire Gina Rinehart says payroll tax and licence fees should be scrapped to protect small businesses and farmers, as trade tensions rise under President Donald Trump.

GEN Government press conference at Parliament House. Premier Roger Cook announces new cabinet memebers. Roger Cook and Meredith Hammat.

state politicsPremiumLabor’s new regional portfolios slammed as ‘tokenistic’

Regional WA will be represented by nine separate ministers around the Cabinet table, as Roger Cook restored a Gallop-era measure in the wake of strong swings against Labor in the bush. 

Dylan Caporn

A photo of a solar farm in the Wheatbelt town of Merredin.

EnergyPremiumWave of green energy cash looms for Narrogin

The Wheatbelt town of Narrogin is set for a green energy investment wave as two new projects worth a combined $800 million head for development review.

Matt Mckenzie

WA Agriculture Minister Jackie Jarvis.

CABINET RESHUFFLEPremiumJackie Jarvis retains ag portfolio in Cabinet reshuffle

Margaret River winemaker Jackie Jarvis has retained the agriculture portfolio in seismic cabinet reshuffle that has included creating new ministers for each of the State’s regional areas. 

Cally Dupe and Dylan Caporn

Countryman reporter Bob Garnant and his award-winning photograph from the 2024 Wagin Woolorama.

Wagin Woolorama PremiumCountryman’s Bob Garnant wins Woolorama accolade

Countryman’s photographic coverage of last year’s Wagin Woolorama has been praised at the event’s Glenys Gmeiner Media Awards..

Cally Dupe

Storm damage from flash flooding in Albany on Thursday night and Friday morning.

Storm DamagePremiumAlbany residents repairing the damage after freak flooding

Albany is reeling from the sudden storm and flash flooding that gripped the city on Thursday night and in the early hours of Friday morning as many residents clean-up and assess the damage.

Georgia Campion