as posted here
More than 50,000 homes in the Perth metropolitan area are now without power following the strong cold front that crossed the coast earlier today.
In the largest single interruption, power has been cut to a major transformer in the Riverton substation, affecting about 10,000 customers.
Western Power says the main cause of faults today was related to the storm. Debris, including household material, had blown into powerlines causing damage and in some cases bringing down the powerlines.
The other major power interruptions currently affecting the metro area includes Wanneroo (9000 properties), Amhurst (6000), Southern River (7000), Gosnells (3500), Padfields (2500), Arkana (2500), Yangebup (2500), Myaree (2500), Landsdale (2000), Parkwood (1700), Wilson, Forrestfield, Middle Swan and High Wycombe (all 1000) and Kalamunda (800).
There are a number of reports of powerlines down. Western Power has urged people to take care and stay clear of any downed or damaged powerlines.
Western Power said crews would attend to hazards in the first instance to ensure the safety of the general public and would then attend to faults and restore power. More than 120 hazards have been reported to Western Power so far today.
At 1pm, the Perth radar showed a strong cold front to the east of the city and is expected near Geraldton to Albany mid-afternoon before reaching Esperance this evening.
Widespread damaging winds up to 110kmh are expected to extend throughout the warning area during the day as the front moves east.
In isolated areas locally destructive gusts in excess of 125kmh may cause significant damage or destruction of property.
Today, Rottnest Island recorded a wind gust of 115kmh at 11.31am and Perth Airport 107kmh at 12.31pm.
Brunswick Junction has recorded 96.2mm of rain in the 24 hours to 9am.
Meanwhile, a second front is expected near the south west corner on Friday and severe winds are likely to continue in southern areas.
Heavy rain and isolated thunderstorms may result in flash flooding mainly about the south-west district and adjacent lower-west and south-coastal districts today.
The State Emergency Service is advising people to put away or weigh down loose objects, move vehicles under cover and stay inside away from windows and boat owners should ensure boats are securely moored.
as posted here
Thursday 21 May 2009
Sunday 17 May 2009
Petrol tanker blast investigation continues
as posted here
Posted Fri May 15, 2009 5:08pm AEST
Updated Sat May 16, 2009 10:58am AEST
Police evacuate parts of Maddington as petrol tanker explodes (Ben White)
Authorities are investigating the cause of a petrol tanker fire in the Perth suburb of Maddington.
A rupture in a compartment of the tanker sparked a blaze which burnt through about 15,000 litres of fuel.
The fire spread to a nearby petrol station and shop on Albany Highway, forcing the evacuation of people within 500 metres of the blaze.
Local roads were closed for up to 10 hours during the clean up.
That involved transferring the remaining fuel to a second tanker, pumping fuel out of drains which lead to the Canning River, and mopping up.
20 Fire and Emergency Service firefighters remained at the scene overnight.
FESA spokesman Alan Gale says the blaze caused a significant amount of damage.
"The damage certainly to the rear of the tanker itself is fairly substantial, but probably more so to the building," he said.
"All the front driveway and canopy is extensively damaged."
Mark Brunt works opposite the petrol station and saw the explosion.
"I went and got a bit closer and could see everyone was bailing out of the servo and some guy was yelling 'Get out, get out' and yeah, this fire was just taking off," he said.
as posted here
Daylight saving 'dead and buried' in WA
as posted here
Western Australia will not get daylight saving after voters rejected the idea in the fourth referendum on the issue, electoral commissioner Warwick Gately has declared.
When polls closed with 71 per cent of the vote counted, the "No" vote has maintained a 55.5 per cent to 44.5 cent lead over the "Yes" vote - a lead which could translate into the biggest "No" result in WA history.
Daylight saving campaigner Matt Birney declared the concept of daylight saving in WA "dead and buried".
The "No" vote has registered about 532,000 votes to 426,000 for "Yes".
The "No" vote fared strongly in regional areas and the outer suburbs of Perth, including Armadale, Swan Hills, Gosnells, Geraldton, Dawesville, Darling Range, Central Wheatbelt and Albany.
Perth's northern electorates such as Hillarys, Churchlands, Midarie and Carine flew the flag for daylight saving in what was ultimately a losing race.
WA Premier Colin Barnett said the result was clear.
"West Australians don't like daylight saving,'' he told ABC radio.
Nationals WA president Colin Holt, one of the leading campaigners for the "No" vote, was understandably thrilled with the result.
"We're very pleased with the result of course," he said. "But we were a little surprised by how strong the ("No") vote was in some of the city electorates."
He expected the regional areas to vote against daylight saving, and they delivered with flying colours.
"If you were away from the coast, people didn't like it," Mr Holt said.
"There were (only) three or four electorates away from the coast who were in favour (of daylight saving).
"Some of the big ones who were against it were Darling Range, Armadale and Forrestfield."
He said most of the people who lived well away from the coast thought daylight saving would not improve their lifestyle, considering they "could not go to the beach" after a day's work.
Earlier today, Mr Birney told WAtoday: "It seems we are a little bit ahead in metro Perth and a whole lot behind in the country and that's not really sustainable unfortunately.
"... We're encouraged by so many people voting yes, but the great shame is that it doesn't appear to be enough at this stage."
More than 1.3 million West Australians today flooded their local school or sports centre to cast their vote on daylight saving.
In the weeks leading up to today's vote, WA was gripped with debate in the workplace, on talkback radio, on trains and even inside households. But now the people have finally had their say on the issue that has split the state in half.
Three times already the push for daylight saving in WA has failed.
The first vote on daylight saving in 1975 saw 53.7 per cent of the population vote against it.
The WA Electoral Commission has had its hands full to cater for the masses today with the Fremantle by-election also taking place today following the retirement of stalwart Labor MP Jim McGinty.
In that battle, Labor candidate and former Fremantle mayor Peter Tagliaferri has locked horns with Adele Carles of the Greens for the seat vacated by former Labor Health Minister Jim McGinty.
Before today, about 72,000 electors have already had their say on the daylight saving vote via postal and early in-person voting.
"The daylight saving debate has been of high interest to the people of Western Australia in recent weeks ... ," Mr Gately said.
The Commission set up about 800 polling places across the state and recruited 5000 casual staff for the day.
Almost 1.8 million ballot papers for the referendum and 62,000 for the Fremantle by-election have been produced during the campaigns.
- with AAP
as posted here
Western Australia will not get daylight saving after voters rejected the idea in the fourth referendum on the issue, electoral commissioner Warwick Gately has declared.
When polls closed with 71 per cent of the vote counted, the "No" vote has maintained a 55.5 per cent to 44.5 cent lead over the "Yes" vote - a lead which could translate into the biggest "No" result in WA history.
Daylight saving campaigner Matt Birney declared the concept of daylight saving in WA "dead and buried".
The "No" vote has registered about 532,000 votes to 426,000 for "Yes".
The "No" vote fared strongly in regional areas and the outer suburbs of Perth, including Armadale, Swan Hills, Gosnells, Geraldton, Dawesville, Darling Range, Central Wheatbelt and Albany.
Perth's northern electorates such as Hillarys, Churchlands, Midarie and Carine flew the flag for daylight saving in what was ultimately a losing race.
WA Premier Colin Barnett said the result was clear.
"West Australians don't like daylight saving,'' he told ABC radio.
Nationals WA president Colin Holt, one of the leading campaigners for the "No" vote, was understandably thrilled with the result.
"We're very pleased with the result of course," he said. "But we were a little surprised by how strong the ("No") vote was in some of the city electorates."
He expected the regional areas to vote against daylight saving, and they delivered with flying colours.
"If you were away from the coast, people didn't like it," Mr Holt said.
"There were (only) three or four electorates away from the coast who were in favour (of daylight saving).
"Some of the big ones who were against it were Darling Range, Armadale and Forrestfield."
He said most of the people who lived well away from the coast thought daylight saving would not improve their lifestyle, considering they "could not go to the beach" after a day's work.
Earlier today, Mr Birney told WAtoday: "It seems we are a little bit ahead in metro Perth and a whole lot behind in the country and that's not really sustainable unfortunately.
"... We're encouraged by so many people voting yes, but the great shame is that it doesn't appear to be enough at this stage."
More than 1.3 million West Australians today flooded their local school or sports centre to cast their vote on daylight saving.
In the weeks leading up to today's vote, WA was gripped with debate in the workplace, on talkback radio, on trains and even inside households. But now the people have finally had their say on the issue that has split the state in half.
Three times already the push for daylight saving in WA has failed.
The first vote on daylight saving in 1975 saw 53.7 per cent of the population vote against it.
The WA Electoral Commission has had its hands full to cater for the masses today with the Fremantle by-election also taking place today following the retirement of stalwart Labor MP Jim McGinty.
In that battle, Labor candidate and former Fremantle mayor Peter Tagliaferri has locked horns with Adele Carles of the Greens for the seat vacated by former Labor Health Minister Jim McGinty.
Before today, about 72,000 electors have already had their say on the daylight saving vote via postal and early in-person voting.
"The daylight saving debate has been of high interest to the people of Western Australia in recent weeks ... ," Mr Gately said.
The Commission set up about 800 polling places across the state and recruited 5000 casual staff for the day.
Almost 1.8 million ballot papers for the referendum and 62,000 for the Fremantle by-election have been produced during the campaigns.
- with AAP
as posted here
Friday 15 May 2009
Rehab for centre to aid addicts
as posted here
A Gosnells drug and alcohol rehabilitation centre run by the Salvation Army is to be expanded to accommodate a rapidly growing queue of desperate addicts.
The Harry Hunter centre is supposed to be able to cater for 45 clients at a time, but its capacity has been reduced because a house neighbouring the main accommodation block is in such a poor state of disrepair.
An agreement struck between the Salvos and builder Dale Alcock Homes has paved the way for the old house to be demolished and replaced with three units at a discounted rate. The centre will then accommodate 52 people and have separate sections for men and women for the first time.
Service manager Ken Smith said there were currently around 70 people waiting to be assessed and they faced a wait of up to two months to get into the centre.
“The longer the wait, the greater the risk of relapse and of moving back to their old environment and circle of influences,” he said.
The announcement of the project comes as the Salvation Army prepares for the start of its annual Red Shield doorknock appeal on May 18, for which Dale Alcock will be the major partner in WA.
To register as a volunteer or make a donation, phone 13 72 58 (13Salvos) or go online at www.salvation army.org.au
Donations can also be made at any Westpac or Bendigo Bank branch.
DAWN GIBSON
as posted here
A Gosnells drug and alcohol rehabilitation centre run by the Salvation Army is to be expanded to accommodate a rapidly growing queue of desperate addicts.
The Harry Hunter centre is supposed to be able to cater for 45 clients at a time, but its capacity has been reduced because a house neighbouring the main accommodation block is in such a poor state of disrepair.
An agreement struck between the Salvos and builder Dale Alcock Homes has paved the way for the old house to be demolished and replaced with three units at a discounted rate. The centre will then accommodate 52 people and have separate sections for men and women for the first time.
Service manager Ken Smith said there were currently around 70 people waiting to be assessed and they faced a wait of up to two months to get into the centre.
“The longer the wait, the greater the risk of relapse and of moving back to their old environment and circle of influences,” he said.
The announcement of the project comes as the Salvation Army prepares for the start of its annual Red Shield doorknock appeal on May 18, for which Dale Alcock will be the major partner in WA.
To register as a volunteer or make a donation, phone 13 72 58 (13Salvos) or go online at www.salvation army.org.au
Donations can also be made at any Westpac or Bendigo Bank branch.
DAWN GIBSON
as posted here
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