The state government has spent just $16,500 on a feasibility analysis to support shifting the $1.8 billion Women and Babies Hospital to Murdoch, Business News has learned.
Ministers Rita Saffioti, Paul Papalia, Bill Johnston and Balcatta MP David Michael were the major movers as Roger Cook unveiled his refreshed cabinet at Dumas House this morning.
Health Minister Amber-Jade Sanderson and premier-elect Roger Cook's nominated deputy, Rita Saffioti, have dismissed suggestions of hard feelings following the battle for WA Labor leadership this week.
ANALYSIS: The factional rift that enabled Roger Cook to become Labor leader has parallels with a famous preselection battle during which a young Ben Wyatt defeated union heavyweight Helen Creed.
UPDATED: Roger Cook is poised to become Western Australia's next premier with Rita Saffioti as deputy premier after Amber-Jade Sanderson withdrew from the leadership race.
Less than 24 hours have passed since the shock resignation of Premier Mark McGowan, but attention is already focused on who will lead the party into the 2025 state election.
ANALYSIS: Roger Cook, Rita Saffioti and Amber-Jade Sanderson are the contenders to become WA's next premier, with Labor's powerful left faction set to play a key role.
Mark McGowan will resign as the premier of Western Australia by the end of the week, after revealing he does not have the energy and drive to continue in the role.
The state government has revealed a record $1.2 billion commitment to public hospital infrastructure projects ahead of next week's state budget - but not all are praising the spend.
The state government has announced a $420 million budget commitment to boost mental health initiatives, including an upgrade of Graylands Hospital in Mount Claremont.
The state government plans to reduce waiting times in emergency departments by introducing targets described as “stretched but realistic” in a bid to ease pressure on the health system.
Perth's new Women and Babies Hospital will be shifted from Nedlands to the southern suburbs, in part because of planning issues highlighted one year ago by Business News.
It took less than 10 minutes on average for Perth ambulances to respond to emergencies in the year to June 2022, the second best performance in the country.
The state government has tabled what it says will be a final pay bump of between 3 per cent and 4.5 per cent to WA nurses and called on the union to come back to the negotiating table on working conditions.
ANALYSIS: Mark McGowan's ministerial reshuffle was in many respects a sideshow – real power in the government remains with a small group of ministers and advisers close to the premier.
Nurses have received public support from a major ally ahead of tomorrow's strike, while the opposition has called for unions to respect the industrial umpire's orders.
The nursing union has hit back at claims it is being disingenuous in its wages deal talks with the state government, arguing the package had a lot of weasel words but was light on detail.
Amber-Jade Sanderson branded the nursing union's rejection of a second wages deal “disingenuous”, claiming it was now the only thing standing in the way of getting its key demand.
The next phase of industrial action to be taken by Western Australian nurses - a ban on overtime - will start Wednesday, after weekend talks failed to break the impasse over pay and conditions.
The nursing union and the state government are headed for peace talks in their ongoing wages row, but Health Minister Amber-Jade Sanderson has ruled out throwing more money behind the offer.
The state government doesn't know how much it will cost to apply the nurse-to-patient ratios it promised the nursing union in an 11th-hour bid to avoid industrial action.
The Health Minister has insisted the state government has no plans to reintroduce mask mandates, despite conceding the rate of infection is much higher than is being reported.
