ABC Perth

Western Australia's new chief health officer is confident the risk of Ebola entering the state is low as authorities continue to monitor travel from the Democratic Republic of the Congo amid an outbreak of the deadly disease.

With several WA-based mining companies and contractors travelling to and from the country, discussions are underway about what to do if a suspected case does reach Australian shores.

Clare Huppatz says Ebola is just one of a number of potentially fatal disease outbreaks she's had to model since assuming the state's top health job in late February.

Another pandemic 'something we need to prepare for', WA's public health chief says Clare Huppatz, the first woman to be appointed WA's chief health officer, takes up her role at a time when Ebola, diphtheria and the flu are public health concerns.

As a major miner seeks approval to extend its magnetite ore operations in regional Western Australia to 2048, shires are increasingly concerned about ensuring there's enough groundwater to go around.

Concerns raised as mining companies take local groundwater leaving towns 'vulnerable'

The United States is planning to impose a 12.5 per cent tariff on goods from Australia, alleging the country has failed to take action to prevent slavery and forced labour.

Anthony Albanese says any tariff on Australian exports to the US is "unjustified and inconsistent" with the free trade agreements between the two allies.

Former Australian ambassador to the US Joe Hockey says Donald Trump is convinced that tariffs are beneficial to the US.

PM says Australia has 'ideological disagreement' with US after it reveals anti-slavery tariff The planned new tariff is to be slapped on dozens of countries that have allegedly failed to take action to prevent slavery and forced labour.

: A number of passengers have been injured after a Transperth bus crashed into a tree in Perth's north.

STORY: https://ab.co/4vuic77

A St John WA spokesperson said at least five people had been taken to hospital after the accident, which happened just after 11am, June 4, on Joondalup Drive in Wanneroo.

One of those passengers is in a critical condition at Joondalup Hospital, while another passenger was transported under priority one conditions to Royal Perth Hospital.

Three other passengers are being treated for non-life-threatening injuries in hospital.

The crash has forced the closure of Joondalup Drive near to where the accident happened, with motorists asked to avoid the area.

Emergency services are on the scene.

The federal government's 40-year extension of Woodside's North West Shelf gas project on the Burrup Peninsula could violate human rights, an independent United Nations expert warns.

The UN's special rapporteur for the right to a healthy environment is intervening in three Federal Court challenges brought against Woodside's North West Shelf by the Australian Conservation Foundation and Friends of Australian Rock Art.

Astrid Puentes Riaño urged the Australian government to consider reviewing its decision to draw out the project's life span until 2070 and ensure compliance with international law.

"We are living a triple planetary crisis, not only climate change, but also biodiversity loss and toxic pollution," she said.

"It's very important for Australia to make sure that if there are cases, or activities, that will increase fossil fuels, that the whole analysis is done correctly."

UN envoy intervenes in Woodside gas plant challenge An independent expert has urged Australia to "make sure that things are done properly", while Woodside pushed back against her involvement.

Do you think there should be similar laws introduced in WA? 🤔👇💬

Drivers using medicinal cannabis who test positive for a tiny amount of its active ingredient are set to avoid drug driving charges in New South Wales.

STORY: https://ab.co/3Q2Puv0

The Labor government plans to introduce a legal limit on the concentration of tetrahydrocannabinol, known as THC, a driver can have in their system if they have a prescription.

While it will remain an offence for most drivers to have any trace of THC in their system, medicinal cannabis patients would be exempt if a laboratory test found their saliva had fewer than 50 nanograms per millilitre of THC.

Three people have been charged in Western Australia after allegedly attempting to smuggle a suspected Queensland fugitive out of Australia.

The yacht was found off the coast of Exmouth, 1,250km north of Perth and was allegedly heading for Indonesia.

It is the first time anyone in WA has been charged with attempted people smuggling.

Yacht intercepted by police off Exmouth allegedly carrying outlaw gang member WA Police and Australian Federal Police intercepted a yacht off the coast of Exmouth in northern WA which allegedly had a Queensland fugitive on board.

In an unassuming building in Perth's north, the Second Chance Choir is bringing people together through music to help them put aside years of trauma, violence and substance abuse.

The Perth choir giving people their voice back

: Australians have been held hostage to the housing market for the better part of this century.

Before the federal budget, the housing market was already starting to choke on its own excesses. Now some economists are tipping an extended period where home prices grow no faster than general inflation, writes business editor Michael Janda.

The housing 'super cycle' may be ending, and that could be a good thing Before the federal budget, the housing market was already starting to choke on its own excesses. Now some economists are tipping an extended period where home prices grow no faster than general inflation.

Fremantle Dockers midfielder Nathan O'Driscoll says speaking up about his mental health struggles has been the best thing he could have done.

Mr O’Driscoll posted on Instagram last month, detailing his struggles with anxiety and how he had contemplated taking his own life.

"I wasn't expecting the responses it got," he told 102.5 ABC Radio Perth's Extra Time program.

"I've received nothing but love and really good messages from a lot of people," he said.

He urged anyone dealing with similar issues to speak up.

"If anyone is going through anything, I just recommend … speak up to anyone that you're comfortable with.”

Read more: https://ab.co/4vvypsR

Two men are convicted of killing 68-year-old Raymond Smith in his own home in Western Australia's South West during a meth-addled burglary for drugs.

Breaking: Pair found guilty of killing elderly man during meth-addled burglary

Rising copper theft is costing building owners thousands of dollars, with increasingly brazen thieves raiding vacant buildings.

Read more: https://ab.co/4a4s8Mg

Perth demolition contractor Steve King told Nadia Mitsopoulos on 102.5 ABC Radio Perth that the losses from sites his company works on are now huge.

"Over the past five years, on up to about 80 per cent of our demolition sites, people get in and they'll steal copper," Mr King said.

"They'll take brass and other minor items, but mainly copper, water pipes, heater pipes — anything they can get hold of — because it's easy cash."

Mr King said the money to be made from copper theft had led to extreme risk-taking on sites with thieves risking electrocution, falls and asbestos exposure to get the scrap metal.

"We've had people stealing copper from two-storey structures that have fire damage, they're really unstable."

The West Australian health minister and head of the country health service have apologised to a teen who languished in an emergency room for almost five days awaiting an adolescent mental health unit bed.

In March, the then-17-year-old tried to take her own life twice before she was rushed to Busselton Health Campus, 220 kilometres south of Perth.

Her mother, Tara said the teen was identified as high-risk by psychiatric nurses.

But she was still left in limbo for 116 hours, waiting for a place in a specialised mental health unit.

Teen's 5-day wait in hospital emergency department prompts official apologies The WA health minister and director of the state's country health service have unreservedly apologised to a 17-year-old left in an emergency room for 116 hours waiting for specialised mental health care.

Residents in the Midwest town of Kalbarri are facing a minimum two-hour round trip to see a doctor, with the local GP announcing it will close later this month.

Medical clinics closing down 'like dominoes' with new bulk-billing model Kalbarri residents will be forced to travel more than 100 kilometres to visit a doctor when the regional WA town's only GP clinic closes due to financial pressure.

What a stormy start to winter! 🌧️☂️

Happy everyone! 💙🤍

Thank you to .d_wildlife for sharing this photo of a soggy looking wren.

We'd love to see your best photos and videos of these cute little blue birds below 👇📸

📷 .d_wildlife

🐦

Australia's housing market stalled in May, with national home values flat after months of slowing growth.

READ MORE: https://ab.co/4dSI31h

The weakness was led by Sydney and Melbourne, where values fell 0.9% and 0.8% respectively, according to Cotality data.

While the Reserve Bank is widely expected to hold interest rates steady at its June 15–16 meeting, buyers remain highly sensitive to any signs borrowing costs will stay higher for longer.