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Perth Now
5 hours ago
- General
- Perth Now
Number of cats allowed per household to be reduced
Pet owners in the City of Joondalup could soon face fines if their cats are found roaming in certain parks and reserves proposed as prohibited areas under new local pet laws. Among the areas set to become cat-prohibited zones are Craigie Open Space, Warwick Open Space, the Hepburn Heights Conservation Area in Padbury, and most of the foreshore reserves in the city. Cat owners may face a $100 penalty if their pets are caught in these areas. Joondalup is also set to reduce the number of cats allowed per household from three to two, in line with existing dog ownership limits. PerthNow understands the new restrictions would not be applied retrospectively. The changes are part of the city's proposed Animals Local Law 2025, which is currently back out for community consultation after the addition of the new cat-prohibited areas. During last year's consultation period, the city received 120 submissions, most of which supported tougher cat regulations such as curfews and restrictions in natural areas. The addition of cat-prohibited areas to the local law was suggested to the city by the Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries. Those wanting to own three or more cats will need to apply for special approval from the city under the updated local pet laws. Applications to keep more than two cats would be assessed based on factors such as the physical suitability of the premises, environmental impact, the likelihood of a cat causing a nuisance to neighbours, and the overall effect on the surrounding area. In addition, the city may impose conditions it considers reasonably necessary, such as requiring adequate fencing and sufficient exercise space for cats before granting approval. The city said the changes were aimed at protecting native wildlife from cats. 'The proposed cat prohibited areas are focused primarily on major conservation areas and high priority natural areas, with the addition of some medium priority natural areas that form part of the Yellagonga Regional Park to protect biodiversity in areas of conservation significance,' City of Joondalup officers said in a report. The Federal Government estimates that feral cats kill 1.5 billion native mammals, birds, reptiles and frogs each year. Joondalup's move comes as the City of Stirling also looks to crack down on roaming cats. Under proposed changes, Stirling residents living within 200 metres of designated cat prohibited areas — set to nearly quadruple from 11 to 41 — would need a permit to keep a cat. The City of Wanneroo took similar action on cats earlier this year, declaring 28 reserves off-limits to cats. And with the price of eggs soaring, the City of Joondalup is also proposing in the new local law to double the poultry limit per household from six to 12, meaning residents could soon own up to a dozen chickens. Consultation on the City of Joondalup's proposed new Animals Local Law is now open until August 8.
Perth Now
25-06-2025
- General
- Perth Now
Joondalup crack down on cats
Pet owners in the City of Joondalup could soon face fines if their cats are found roaming in certain parks and reserves proposed as prohibited areas under new local pet laws. Among the areas set to become cat-prohibited zones are Craigie Open Space, Warwick Open Space, the Hepburn Heights Conservation Area in Padbury, and most of the foreshore reserves in the city. Cat owners may face a $100 penalty if their pets are caught in these areas. Your local paper, whenever you want it. Joondalup is also set to reduce the number of cats allowed per household from three to two, in line with existing dog ownership limits. PerthNow understands the new restrictions would not be applied retrospectively. The changes are part of the city's proposed Animals Local Law 2025, which is currently back out for community consultation after the addition of the new cat-prohibited areas. During last year's consultation period, the city received 120 submissions, most of which supported tougher cat regulations such as curfews and restrictions in natural areas. The addition of cat-prohibited areas to the local law was suggested to the city by the Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries. Those wanting to own three or more cats will need to apply for special approval from the city under the updated local pet laws. Applications to keep more than two cats would be assessed based on factors such as the physical suitability of the premises, environmental impact, the likelihood of a cat causing a nuisance to neighbours, and the overall effect on the surrounding area. In addition, the city may impose conditions it considers reasonably necessary, such as requiring adequate fencing and sufficient exercise space for cats before granting approval. The city said the changes were aimed at protecting native wildlife from cats. 'The proposed cat prohibited areas are focused primarily on major conservation areas and high priority natural areas, with the addition of some medium priority natural areas that form part of the Yellagonga Regional Park to protect biodiversity in areas of conservation significance,' City of Joondalup officers said in a report. The Federal Government estimates that feral cats kill 1.5 billion native mammals, birds, reptiles and frogs each year. Joondalup's move comes as the City of Stirling also looks to crack down on roaming cats. Under proposed changes, Stirling residents living within 200 metres of designated cat prohibited areas — set to nearly quadruple from 11 to 41 — would need a permit to keep a cat. The City of Wanneroo took similar action on cats earlier this year, declaring 28 reserves off-limits to cats. And with the price of eggs soaring, the City of Joondalup is also proposing in the new local law to double the poultry limit per household from six to 12, meaning residents could soon own up to a dozen chickens. Consultation on the City of Joondalup's proposed new Animals Local Law is now open until August 8.
Perth Now
03-06-2025
- Business
- Perth Now
WA's film and TV production boom is set to continue
The screen production boom looks set to continue in WA, after the State's peak funding body, Screenwest, announced on Monday the nation's richest incentive of its kind for filmmakers. The Cook Government can't afford for its ballyhooed Malaga film studio to become a white elephant, but attracting productions to the West depends less on facilities — there are already well-established options in Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria — and more on the bottom line for studios. In a tacit acknowledgement of this fact, Screenwest has boosted its post-production rebate scheme, which had previously been capped at 10 per cent of qualifying expenditure for productions with budgets over $500,000. From July 1, the rebate, which is funded by the Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries, will increase to 20 per cent, doubling the payments made to eligible bigger-budget projects for post-production, digital and visual effects carried out in WA. The new rebate is in addition to a 30 per cent post-production Federal Government offset for productions of at least $500,000. Studios spread post-production work around the globe to chase the most attractive incentives, which is why you'll see VicScreen and the South Australian Film Corporation listed in the closing credits of even the biggest Marvel movies. The increased WA incentive should see the Screenwest logo appear more frequently in the credits now, but the funding body's chief executive Rikki Lea Bestall said it's about something more than brand recognition. The second season of The Twelve. Credit: Binge 'This is . . . squarely aimed at encouraging more post-production projects to Western Australia to do business with our skilled practitioners, from editors to sound designers, VFX artists and animators,' Ms Bestall said. 'WA has a steady pipeline of scripted and documentary productions, which are being filmed on-location and in studios across our state, and that is only going to increase next year when the Perth Film Studios open in Malaga. 'But many of these projects take the next phase of their production elsewhere. We want to make sure our State is being considered as a good place to do business for all facets of screen production.' Nicolas Cage in The Surfer. Credit: Madman The WA economy received nearly $65 million worth of screen production expenditure in the past financial year, up from $41.5 million the previous year. Productions brought to WA by existing incentives in the past financial year included Season 2 of The Twelve, starring Sam Neill, and The Surfer, starring Nicolas Cage, which can currently be seen in cinemas.
West Australian
02-06-2025
- Business
- West Australian
Screenwest lures film and TV projects to the West with Australia's richest post-production screen incentive
The screen production boom looks set to continue in WA, after the State's peak funding body, Screenwest, announced on Monday the nation's richest incentive of its kind for filmmakers. The Cook Government can't afford for its ballyhooed Malaga film studio to become a white elephant, but attracting productions to the West depends less on facilities — there are already well-established options in Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria — and more on the bottom line for studios. In a tacit acknowledgement of this fact, Screenwest has boosted its post-production rebate scheme, which had previously been capped at 10 per cent of qualifying expenditure for productions with budgets over $500,000. From July 1, the rebate, which is funded by the Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries, will increase to 20 per cent, doubling the payments made to eligible bigger-budget projects for post-production, digital and visual effects carried out in WA. The new rebate is in addition to a 30 per cent post-production Federal Government offset for productions of at least $500,000. Studios spread post-production work around the globe to chase the most attractive incentives, which is why you'll see VicScreen and the South Australian Film Corporation listed in the closing credits of even the biggest Marvel movies. The increased WA incentive should see the Screenwest logo appear more frequently in the credits now, but the funding body's chief executive Rikki Lea Bestall said it's about something more than brand recognition. 'This is . . . squarely aimed at encouraging more post-production projects to Western Australia to do business with our skilled practitioners, from editors to sound designers, VFX artists and animators,' Ms Bestall said. 'WA has a steady pipeline of scripted and documentary productions, which are being filmed on-location and in studios across our state, and that is only going to increase next year when the Perth Film Studios open in Malaga. 'But many of these projects take the next phase of their production elsewhere. We want to make sure our State is being considered as a good place to do business for all facets of screen production.' The WA economy received nearly $65 million worth of screen production expenditure in the past financial year, up from $41.5 million the previous year. Productions brought to WA by existing incentives in the past financial year included Season 2 of The Twelve, starring Sam Neill, and The Surfer, starring Nicolas Cage, which can currently be seen in cinemas.
ABC News
30-05-2025
- Health
- ABC News
Proposed bare-knuckle boxing match in Perth sparks debate
The WA Combat Sports Commission says it has received a preliminary application to hold a bare-knuckle fight in Perth, understood to be planned for July. The commission, part of the Department of Local Government, Sport and Creative Industries, has responsibility for the regulation of all so-called combat sports, including boxing, kickboxing and mixed martial arts. Chair of the commission, former WA health minister Bob Kucera, told Nadia Mitsopoulos on ABC Radio Perth the commission first received an application for bare-knuckle fighting to be approved as a contact sport about six months ago. He said the commission subsequently developed a set of rules fight promoters would have to comply with. "In conjunction with … the combat sports industry, we put together a set of rules which went up to the previous [sports] minister, Minister Templeman, for approval," he said. "They were approved. He said permits had to comply with this particular set of rules. "The rules here are very different to the other [combat] sports because in this particular discipline … they don't have any padding on their hands," he said. "And the only strikes that are allowed are with the hands. The commission has received its first application, which Mr Kucera said would be scrutinised. He said a raft of rules would apply if the application was approved. They included requiring participants to have a minimum of seven years of fighting and 10 professional bouts behind them. Two doctors must be present at the ringside and if a boxer is knocked down, the bout must stop. He said boxers would also have to have serology tests to make sure they had no bloodborne diseases, and must get clearance from a doctor if there was any history of concussion. Mr Kucera said he understood many would regard the idea of bare-knuckle fighting with distaste, but he believed it was better for the government to regulate the practice rather than banning it outright. "In countries where they've said, 'we're going to ban this kind of thing', what happens is it goes underground, and then you have no control at all over it," he said. "If indeed it is approved, it is highly controlled. "And the level of injuries we see in these things are probably less than what you get on the football field, because these people defend themselves." Premier Roger Cook said that while the sport was not his "cup of tea", he agreed it was better to regulate the events. "It's important that the Combat Sports Commission can make sure that we don't drive combat sports underground," Mr Cook said. Numerous members of the community have slammed the idea, including WA president of the Australian Medical Association, Michael Page. "We know that any sport that involves repetitive knocks to the head — and this is quite clearly that — puts people at risk of not only acute concussion and acute brain injury, but also chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), which is where people, years after they've been involved in these sports, progressively develop personality changes, memory difficulties and dementia." Nationals WA deputy leader Peter Rundle also objected to the WA government approving such an event. "The premier and the government seem to be sanctioning and normalising that violence." Callers to ABC Radio Perth also objected. "This is beyond insane," caller Branko said. "Look at the rates of domestic violence, and I would probably not accept any nonsense about this not having any influence on boys. It does." Caller Sheila said she was "absolutely appalled". "We are rightly spending millions on domestic violence," she said. "We are trying to educate our children that violence is not the right way, and then the government subsidise this bare-knuckle fighting." But caller Alex was a supporter. "If you want to hop in a ring and hurt yourself, why not? We're not a nanny state."
