Latest news with #Cook
NZ Herald
39 minutes ago
- General
- NZ Herald
Missing HMS Endeavour's disputed resting place confirmed
The final resting place of Captain Cook's lost ship, the HMS Endeavour, has been confirmed. The whereabouts of the wreckage has been hotly debated by researchers for years. The Australian National Maritime Museum (ANMM) first claimed it was in Rhode Island, US, in 2022. But this was met with criticism
Daily Mirror
5 hours ago
- Sport
- Daily Mirror
'I have confession about being knighted by the Queen – and I nearly missed out'
Sir Alastair Cook was knighted by the late Queen Elizabeth II in 2019 for his services to cricket, but the former England captain was close to missing out on the honour altogether Few honours are more prestigious than a knighthood. Three years before the Queen passed away, former England cricket captain Sir Alastair Cook was named in her New Year honours list. And two months later, the former Essex Eagles star travelled to Buckingham Palace to be given his knighthood by the Queen. Despite the uniqueness of the occasion and the honour that comes with it, there is one crucial thing Sir Cook has forgotten. In the brief period of time he spent with Her Majesty the Queen, the legendary batsman admitted he can't actually recall what the monarch said. In addition to that, he was also close to missing out on the honour altogether, as his invitation was sent to the wrong address. While speaking at the launch of The Overlap and Betfair's Stick to Cricket show, Cook, when asked to describe the invitation process, exclusively told Mirror Sport:"Well, I got a text message. "My invitation got sent to the wrong address. So someone had some address for something, whether they opened it or not, I do not know." Looking back on the afternoon itself, he added: "The whole day and the whole experience is very surreal. Certainly one you don't set out for, don't expect and don't necessarily think you deserve. "It's a very special day to be able to receive it and to be called a Sir and to be able to understand the history of the award, I like my history. It's a huge honour and that's all I can really say about it. "I can't actually remember what she said. But it was an honour to have met her on a few occasions. It's certainly one which is up there as a proud thing." Cook retired from international cricket at the age of 33 years old after a historic career as England captain and opening batsman. He departed having amassed 33 test centuries and 12,472 runs, the latter being a national record until Joe Root surpassed him in 2024 on day three of the five-test series in Pakistan. Cook received an MBE in 2011, which was upgraded to a CBE five years later. Only 12 England cricket stars have received knighthoods for services to the sport, with Cook being the first since Sir Ian Botham in 2007 to be heralded with the honour. Now he is no longer competing, Cook has been impressed with Ben Stokes ' leadership since he was named captain in 2022. Mentioning his former team-mate, Cook added: "He'll (Stokes) go down in the history of English cricket as one of the best. "As a leader, you get judged on a couple of things, how your side plays and your results. He's certainly gone in and changed the narrative of how test cricket can be seen." Stokes' leadership will be put to the test this year, with this weekend's five-test series against India providing England with a huge challenge. A matter of months later, England will travel to Australia for the start of the Ashes in November. Betfair are set for a big summer and winter of cricket, launching a new show with The Overlap: Stick to Cricket. Don't miss the first episode next week, where the team will be reviewing the opening test of the series between England and India.
Wales Online
6 hours ago
- Wales Online
The latest Welsh police officers kicked out in disgrace
The latest Welsh police officers kicked out in disgrace We have obtained details of most police misconduct cases from the last two years Former PCs John Stringer, left, and Jamie Davies (Image: WalesOnline ) Perverts and violent abusers are among the latest Welsh police officers kicked off the force. Through Freedom of Information (FOI) requests to all of the four police forces in Wales, we have obtained details of most police misconduct cases from the last two years. The list includes a PC caught working other jobs while signed off sick, a sergeant who remained in post despite a criminal conviction for smashing a child's phone in rage, and a paedophile jailed for a decade. We made the FOI requests to find out how many officers' names were protected by anonymity orders — an issue which has recently led to us successfully challenging an order not to name a disgraced former Dyfed-Powys Police officer and reporting on a troubling restriction from South Wales Police on naming a corrupt ex-officer. In their FOI responses both Dyfed-Powys Police and South Wales Police initially withheld all names, citing a need to protect personal data. We appealed — and at one point reported South Wales Police to a data watchdog because it was not responding — then both forces overturned their decisions, although some names continue to be withheld. The Gwent Police officers While off-duty, PC Joseph Cook punched a man he had spotted leaving a Cardiff nightclub with his former partner. Cook had been drinking on a night out when he saw the pair exit a St Mary Street club and walk past him. He pushed the man to the ground and punched him, causing cuts and bruises, before other police officers intervened. The chef constable found Cook would have been sacked had he not resigned. PC Benjamin French sexually assaulted a colleague while off-duty at a party, lifting her skirt and grabbing her bottom. He later claimed he could not "really remember" it but accepted the victim's account. The chief constable concluded he would have been fired had he not quit. Article continues below Nathan Collings (Image: Gwent Polie ) PC Nathan Collings isolated his partners from their families and friends and monitored their social media. He used a tracking app to monitor the movements of one partner and used a "pet cam" to spy on her at home. After the relationship ended he stalked her by going into her house when she was out, and watching the property from a van. He was not only barred from policing but jailed for two and a half years after admitting stalking, controlling and coercive behaviour, and threatening to disclose private sexual photos. PC Jack Bannister sexually assaulted a fellow officer while on a night out in Cardiff. Twice he inappropriately touched the woman's buttocks as well as making inappropriate comments. The chief constable found Bannister's actions amounted to gross misconduct and that he would have been sacked had he not quit already. Huw Orphan, 32, was a constable with Gwent Police when he assaulted his wife and caused her to suffer a fractured spine. (Image: Gwent Police ) PC Huw Orphan broke his wife's back by kicking her down a flight of stairs during an argument. A Cardiff Crown Court jury found him guilty of grievous bodily harm against his police officer wife Amy Burley, who was left with frequent pain and mobility issues. He was jailed for two and a half years and the assistant chief constable barred him from policing. Wannabe firearms officer PC Avron Roulstone used vile homophobic language about a colleague, calling her "that f***ing d**e" and then asking other officers: "Are you going to report me?" The misconduct panel heard he "devised a campaign" against the more junior colleague – a gay woman – and even "fist-bumped" a member of the public who had hurled homophobic abuse at her. He would have been sacked had he not quit. DC Mark Peploe inappropriately touched a colleague on a Christmas night out. The chief constable described his behaviour as "totally unacceptable" and said he would have been dismissed for gross misconduct had he not already resigned. PC Paolo Goharjouy committed gross conduct by contacting sex workers to obtain their services. He sent 57 texts and had 629 contacts in his phone who were known or strongly suspected to be sex workers. The assistant chief constable said he would have been dismissed had he not already resigned. PC John Stringer outside Cardiff Crown Court (Image: Ben Birchall/PA Wire ) PC John Stringer was sacked by the assistant chief constable after he was found guilty by a Cardiff Crown Court jury of two counts of sexual assault by touching, two of inciting a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity, and one of causing a child to watch a sexual act. The abuse came to light after the victim confided in a teaching assistant at school. Stringer was jailed for 10 years. PC Gediminas Palubinskas committed gross misconduct by failing to submit a business interest while suspended from duty for unrelated matters. He also "submitted evidential material purporting to be another person whilst suspended from duty". The chief constable said he would have been sacked had he not quit. Another Gwent Police officer was kept anonymous in their hearing. The force said the officer — who was barred from policing for interfering with an investigation and inappropriate sexualised communications with a colleague — was granted anonymity by the chief constable on "medical grounds" and "health concerns of the former officer". Six other Gwent Police officers kicked out for misconduct were named when their hearings took place but the force refused to tell us their names in its Freedom of Information response because more than three months had passed since their cases and the force had concerns about triggering "painful memories" for victims. These cases included cocaine use, domestic violence and excessive force against a detainee. The Dyfed-Powys Police officers Llanelli-based Inspector Justin Ellerton sent messages to a known sex worker for four weeks, then collected her from her home and took her to "a location in the Morriston area, where she was led to believe she was to be paid for her sexual services." Instead he "abandoned the female in the locality" before making off. He resigned — and would have been sacked had he not — but the misconduct panel imposed an order to prevent the media naming him. WalesOnline successfully fought the order, which you can read more about here. PC Christopher Sanders was caught working other jobs while signed off sick from the force. He earned £450 from a care home where he fitted a floor and did odd jobs. He also made £770 tiling and painting for other clients during his months on sick leave. Last December the chief constable found he would have been dismissed had he not quit. PC Martyn Stephens behaved in an "inappropriate manner" towards two colleagues on the evening of April 30 last year. In January a misconduct panel found he would have been sacked had he not resigned already. Carmarthenshire PC Christian Stobbs quit the force while under investigation for computer misuse offences, which he admitted when he accepted a caution. He had used police systems, including "mapping technology", to monitor a person with no policing justification. The chief constable found he would have been dismissed had he not resigned. PC Gareth Horton exchanged homophobic, transphobic, racist and sexist messages with another officer. He claimed he was "trying to fit in" when he sent the WhatsApp messages to an officer from Merseyside Police, where Horton was serving at the time. He replied to "inappropriate" messages with "crying laughing" emojis and sent messages which had "homophobic and violent overtones", according to a misconduct panel who dismissed him in March. Ceredigion PC Simon Williams admitted sexually touching a woman in an Aberaeron pub without her consent while he was off-duty. He received a conditional caution and sent a letter of apology to the victim. The chief constable found he would have been sacked had he not already retired. Supt Gary Davies committed gross misconduct by touching female staff members without permission and comparing women to sports cars. The 58-year-old from Bridgend, who was nicknamed "the octopus", excluded female staff from meetings and had an "obvious corrosive effect" on colleagues, according to a misconduct panel who ordered he be dismissed. One Dyfed-Powys officer, PC Nicholas Jenkins, was given a final written warning for gross misconduct but we do not know the details of his behaviour because the force refused to provide us with the notice that was served against him, citing the need to protect "third-party personal data". Another officer, PC Lawrence Rew, was found not to have committed misconduct. Two Dyfed-Powys officers' names were withheld because of anonymity orders imposed by their misconduct panels. Both were found to have committed gross misconduct, but one was let off with a final written warning while the other was barred from policing. The force told us anonymity was granted because of "safety concerns in respect of the officer" in one case and "restrictions imposed by a separate court process" in the other case. The South Wales Police officers PC Jamie Davies outside Cardiff Crown Court (Image: John Myers ) PC Jamie Davies started a relationship with a woman he had met on dating app Hinge and quickly embarked on a campaign of jealous and controlling behaviour which made her life hell. After pleading guilty to controlling and coercive behaviour he was handed a suspended prison sentence, 150 hours of unpaid work, 15 days of rehabilitation and a 10-year restraining order. The chief constable dismissed him from the force. PC Katie White failed to report her boyfriend's law-breaking until they broke up. She was in a relationship with a man from late 2022 until September 2023, then within days of the breakup she called police. She claimed her ex had been driving without insurance since January that year and had been driving under the influence of cannabis while his children were in the vehicle. The assistant chief constable said White ignored her duty to report criminal activity earlier, and added she would have been fired had she not quit. Former South Wales Police Constable Darren Whatley, pictured here in 2012 A misconduct panel found PC Darren Whatley acted in a "predatory" manner and caused "emotional harm" to three colleagues. He exposed his genitals to one woman, asked another to have sex with him in his car and told a third he would "gas" her. He would have been dismissed had he not retired. Off-duty Special Constable Joshua Edwards breached standards of professional behaviour involving authority, respect and courtesy with his behaviour towards an ex-partner. He would have been dismissed by the misconduct panel had he not quit. PC Spencer Crane was off duty and socialising in Cardiff's Caroline Street and the Hayes when he got into a scuffle with DC Jack Harris and an unnamed female colleague. The misconduct panel heard he grabbed the female PC "to the neck", causing her to fall to the ground, as well as "lunging" at DC Harris and fighting him on the floor. The panel found Crane was the aggressor and that he would have been sacked had he not quit. Sergeant Matthew O'Sullivan, from Merthyr Tydfil, was found guilty of damaging another person's phone at Tesco Express in Pontypridd (Image: Conor Gogarty ) Sergeant Matthew O'Sullivan was found guilty at Newport Magistrates' Court of criminal damage but he was allowed to keep his policing job. The offence involved him smashing the mobile of a 15-year-old boy who had made hoax 999 calls with friends. The chief constable spared O'Sullivan dismissal and instead imposed a five-year final written warning. He took into account that the sergeant was "frustrated at the massive waste of police resource", and was sorry for acting "foolishly in the heat of the moment". Off-duty PC Salman Malik was driving a Tesla from Cardiff to Leicester when he was stopped by two Leicestershire Police officers. He told them the car was his sister's but that he had temporary insurance to drive it, which was false. Malik was sacked by the chief constable after being sentenced at Loughborough Magistrates' Court to a £430 fine and six penalty points for driving without insurance. Sergeant Rhodri Davies, a former boxer, was sacked by a misconduct panel after punching a man detained in a cell at Swansea Central police station. The victim, Tariq Evans, was handcuffed when he was swung to the floor and then struck by Mr Davies, who also used a "dangerous" restraint on his neck, according to the panel, who described his actions as "deplorable". Three South Wales Police officers who faced misconduct proceedings have been kept anonymous. One, known as Officer F, was recently barred from policing after he admitted the criminal offence of illegally accessing computer material. The corrupt officer repeatedly accessed the force system and leaked information to five members of the public. This is a serious offence, punishable with up to two years in prison, but Officer F was let off with a caution. The force didn't respond when asked why he wasn't charged. We know his name and his rank, but the force's chief constable Jeremy Vaughan continues to block us from telling you because of concerns for "the health and wellbeing of a child". You can read our piece on why this flies in the face of legal precedent and principles of transparency here. The other two officers were anonymised because of concerns for their safety. One was a PC sacked for gross misconduct. In the case of the second officer, a sergeant, misconduct was not proved. The North Wales Police officers PC Matthew Roberts showed bodycam footage of a dead man to his colleague PCSO Manon Roberts (who was also his girlfriend) while off duty. A misconduct panel heard he also showed her videos of himself arresting people and found parts of the footage "amusing". Roberts even sent PCSO Roberts pictures of the baby of a woman he had arrested. The panel concluded he would have been sacked had he not quit. PCs Terrence Flanagan and Kenneth Iwan Williams attended a domestic incident and made 'cruel, shocking and offensive comments' about a victim of domestic abuse. Their "misogynistic" and "sexualised" comments about the woman — and also about police colleagues — were caught because PC Flanagan had left his bodycam on. The chief constable found they both would have been fired had they not resigned. Former North Wales PC Owain Lewis (Image: North Wales Police ) PC Owain Lewis threw a tray of food at his ex-girlfriend (a fellow PC) after finding her in "a state of undress" with one of their colleagues. He also smashed his ex's phone and got into a fight with the male colleague. A misconduct panel heard PC Lewis and the woman had split up after an eight-year relationship but they still shared a home in Buckley, Flintshire, where the scuffle broke out in a spare bedroom. The panel ordered PC Lewis be dismissed for gross misconduct. In the cases of two other North Wales Police officers, PC Daniel Jones and PC Vincent Jones, misconduct allegations were found not proved. 'A mystery without any rationale' Former police and crime commissioner for North Wales, Arfon Jones, spoke to us last month about the importance of transparency after becoming concerned by the anonymity orders protecting Officer F and, initially, Justin Ellerton. "Why legally qualified chairs of misconduct panels and senior police officers grant anonymity to accused officers is often a mystery without any rationale, and it seems increasingly to be the norm rather than an exception," said Mr Jones, who had a long career as a police officer. "It is particularly worrying that accused officers are avoiding criminal charges in an open court and instead quietly being sacked and remaining anonymous," he added. "It is in the public interest that officers who have committed serious criminal offences are tried in an open court the same as any other citizen. Anything else will be perceived to be a cover-up." Gwent Police asked us to include a statement from its deputy chief constable Nicola Brain on the force's pledge to dismiss officers who "betray the trust and confidence of our communities". She said: "Our starting position is to hold all proceedings in public session, allowing us to be open and transparent with regards to the police misconduct process. But there are occasions when expert advice dictates, whether from medical professionals or ongoing criminal investigations, that some details will be heard in private session or with reporting restrictions. Article continues below "It is important that we also consider the impact of a public hearing on those who bravely speak out about misconduct before a determination is made." If you would like to tell us about an issue that should be investigated, you can contact our investigations editor at
American Military News
14 hours ago
- General
- American Military News
Captain Cook's lost ship found off Rhode Island coast
The Australian National Maritime Museum recently announced the discovery of Captain James Cook's iconic shipwreck off the coast of Rhode Island, bringing a conclusion to a 250-year-old mystery. In a report published on June 3, the Australian National Maritime Museum explained that historical and archaeological evidence collected as part of an extensive project that spanned over two decades has led researchers to conclude that the RI 2394 shipwreck site in Newport Harbor, Rhode Island, is Cook's 'HMS Endeavour,' which was later renamed the 'Lord Sandwich' when the ship was used by the British. 'This final report is the culmination of 25 years of detailed and meticulous archaeological study on this important vessel,' Australian National Maritime Museum Director Daryl Karp said. Karp described the report as a 'definitive statement' regarding the search for the HMS Endeavour, which the Australian National Maritime Museum launched in 1999. The museum's director added that the search has 'involved underwater investigation in the US and extensive research in institutions across the globe.' According to The New York Post, the HMS Endeavour became famous for becoming the first European ship to circumnavigate New Zealand and land in the eastern part of Australia as part of an expedition that took place between 1768 and 1771. READ MORE: Pics: Two shipwrecks confirmed as slave ships by archaeologists Fox News reported that the iconic ship was later intentionally sunk off the coast of Newport, Rhode Island, in an effort to prevent attacks by America and France. The outlet noted that while researchers have known that the shipwreck of the HMS Endeavor was located off the coast of Rhode Island, the exact location of the shipwreck remained a mystery for roughly 250 years. According to the report, the shipwreck, which is located between 39 and 43 feet underwater, features a 'linear stone ballast pile, the eastern periphery of which features a line of partially exposed frame ends that are closely spaced and of substantial size.' 'Four iron cannons are also present on the site,' the museum added in the report. 'Two are largely exposed above the seabed and lie immediately adjacent to one another on the western side of the site.' The museum's report explains that by 2019, an investigation of the different shipwrecks located in the region led researchers to believe that RI 2394 was the 'most likely candidate' for the HMS Endeavour shipwreck. According to the report, the shipwreck's location satisfies 10 criteria previously agreed upon by different experts. According to the report, the measurements of the RI 2394 shipwreck also match the measurements recorded in a 1768 survey of the iconic ship.
The Advertiser
2 days ago
- Business
- The Advertiser
Budget billions to 'fortify' state against global chaos
The nation's richest state will splash its cash to combat global instability, grow its economy, build homes and ease the cost-of-living crisis. Western Australian Treasurer Rita Saffioti's second budget on Thursday delivered a $2.5 billion windfall for the state for the current financial year, with a further $2.4 billion surplus projected for 2025-26. It's the state's seventh consecutive operating surplus, which the Cook government says will help the state diversify and set its economy up for the future. "This budget is being handed down at a time when the geo-political situation has been turned on its head," Ms Saffioti told reporters. "We have unprecedented tariff policies coming out of the US, while the worsening conflict in the Middle East is creating significant uncertainty in global markets." Ms Saffioti said the budget aimed to "fortify" WA against global shocks, invest in economic infrastructure and set the state up for a future with plenty of jobs. The Cook government's measures include $2.7 billion to bolster economic growth and create jobs, with a focus on local manufacturing. The financial blueprint also includes a further $1.4 billion has been allotted to boost housing supply, including measures to increase the construction workforce and help families access affordable homes. Almost $1 billion will be spent in cost-of-living relief, including residential battery rebates and no-interest loans, and reduced public transport fares. The measure also supplies free student travel and pensioner discounts, and student assistance payments for families. Health and mental health services will receive $1.4 billion to increase the number of doctors and nurses working in the state and bolster infrastructure, creating more hospital beds. A further $1.8 billion has been allocated to education and training to build more schools, upgrade others, boost before and after class care, and support regional learning. Net debt is expected to grow to $33.5 billion at the end of the current financial year, $1.1 billion than forecast, and expand to $42.4 billion over the forward estimates. The state is expected to stay in the black with operating surpluses between $2.4 and $2.8 billion predicted over the next four years. Economic growth is forecast to be 2.5 per cent in the year ahead, with 0.5 per cent expected in 2024-25 and 3 per cent in 2026-27. Ms Saffioti said WA was the most resilient state in the nation and remained its economic powerhouse, with manageable debt levels. The market for WA's key commodity, iron ore, also remained strong, along with domestic consumption and the jobs market, but global impacts on international trading partners could be significant in the future, she said. The treasurer said WA's controversial GST share was fundamental to the state's ability to fund new industrial projects that sent much of their revenue to federal coffers. "We have an abundance of the minerals that the world needs and we've got the solar and wind capacity that the world is striving for," she said. "What we need to do is invest in the infrastructure to support the aspirations of the private sector, and that's what we're very much tailored to." The nation's richest state will splash its cash to combat global instability, grow its economy, build homes and ease the cost-of-living crisis. Western Australian Treasurer Rita Saffioti's second budget on Thursday delivered a $2.5 billion windfall for the state for the current financial year, with a further $2.4 billion surplus projected for 2025-26. It's the state's seventh consecutive operating surplus, which the Cook government says will help the state diversify and set its economy up for the future. "This budget is being handed down at a time when the geo-political situation has been turned on its head," Ms Saffioti told reporters. "We have unprecedented tariff policies coming out of the US, while the worsening conflict in the Middle East is creating significant uncertainty in global markets." Ms Saffioti said the budget aimed to "fortify" WA against global shocks, invest in economic infrastructure and set the state up for a future with plenty of jobs. The Cook government's measures include $2.7 billion to bolster economic growth and create jobs, with a focus on local manufacturing. The financial blueprint also includes a further $1.4 billion has been allotted to boost housing supply, including measures to increase the construction workforce and help families access affordable homes. Almost $1 billion will be spent in cost-of-living relief, including residential battery rebates and no-interest loans, and reduced public transport fares. The measure also supplies free student travel and pensioner discounts, and student assistance payments for families. Health and mental health services will receive $1.4 billion to increase the number of doctors and nurses working in the state and bolster infrastructure, creating more hospital beds. A further $1.8 billion has been allocated to education and training to build more schools, upgrade others, boost before and after class care, and support regional learning. Net debt is expected to grow to $33.5 billion at the end of the current financial year, $1.1 billion than forecast, and expand to $42.4 billion over the forward estimates. The state is expected to stay in the black with operating surpluses between $2.4 and $2.8 billion predicted over the next four years. Economic growth is forecast to be 2.5 per cent in the year ahead, with 0.5 per cent expected in 2024-25 and 3 per cent in 2026-27. Ms Saffioti said WA was the most resilient state in the nation and remained its economic powerhouse, with manageable debt levels. The market for WA's key commodity, iron ore, also remained strong, along with domestic consumption and the jobs market, but global impacts on international trading partners could be significant in the future, she said. The treasurer said WA's controversial GST share was fundamental to the state's ability to fund new industrial projects that sent much of their revenue to federal coffers. "We have an abundance of the minerals that the world needs and we've got the solar and wind capacity that the world is striving for," she said. "What we need to do is invest in the infrastructure to support the aspirations of the private sector, and that's what we're very much tailored to." The nation's richest state will splash its cash to combat global instability, grow its economy, build homes and ease the cost-of-living crisis. Western Australian Treasurer Rita Saffioti's second budget on Thursday delivered a $2.5 billion windfall for the state for the current financial year, with a further $2.4 billion surplus projected for 2025-26. It's the state's seventh consecutive operating surplus, which the Cook government says will help the state diversify and set its economy up for the future. "This budget is being handed down at a time when the geo-political situation has been turned on its head," Ms Saffioti told reporters. "We have unprecedented tariff policies coming out of the US, while the worsening conflict in the Middle East is creating significant uncertainty in global markets." Ms Saffioti said the budget aimed to "fortify" WA against global shocks, invest in economic infrastructure and set the state up for a future with plenty of jobs. The Cook government's measures include $2.7 billion to bolster economic growth and create jobs, with a focus on local manufacturing. The financial blueprint also includes a further $1.4 billion has been allotted to boost housing supply, including measures to increase the construction workforce and help families access affordable homes. Almost $1 billion will be spent in cost-of-living relief, including residential battery rebates and no-interest loans, and reduced public transport fares. The measure also supplies free student travel and pensioner discounts, and student assistance payments for families. Health and mental health services will receive $1.4 billion to increase the number of doctors and nurses working in the state and bolster infrastructure, creating more hospital beds. A further $1.8 billion has been allocated to education and training to build more schools, upgrade others, boost before and after class care, and support regional learning. Net debt is expected to grow to $33.5 billion at the end of the current financial year, $1.1 billion than forecast, and expand to $42.4 billion over the forward estimates. The state is expected to stay in the black with operating surpluses between $2.4 and $2.8 billion predicted over the next four years. Economic growth is forecast to be 2.5 per cent in the year ahead, with 0.5 per cent expected in 2024-25 and 3 per cent in 2026-27. Ms Saffioti said WA was the most resilient state in the nation and remained its economic powerhouse, with manageable debt levels. The market for WA's key commodity, iron ore, also remained strong, along with domestic consumption and the jobs market, but global impacts on international trading partners could be significant in the future, she said. The treasurer said WA's controversial GST share was fundamental to the state's ability to fund new industrial projects that sent much of their revenue to federal coffers. "We have an abundance of the minerals that the world needs and we've got the solar and wind capacity that the world is striving for," she said. "What we need to do is invest in the infrastructure to support the aspirations of the private sector, and that's what we're very much tailored to." The nation's richest state will splash its cash to combat global instability, grow its economy, build homes and ease the cost-of-living crisis. Western Australian Treasurer Rita Saffioti's second budget on Thursday delivered a $2.5 billion windfall for the state for the current financial year, with a further $2.4 billion surplus projected for 2025-26. It's the state's seventh consecutive operating surplus, which the Cook government says will help the state diversify and set its economy up for the future. "This budget is being handed down at a time when the geo-political situation has been turned on its head," Ms Saffioti told reporters. "We have unprecedented tariff policies coming out of the US, while the worsening conflict in the Middle East is creating significant uncertainty in global markets." Ms Saffioti said the budget aimed to "fortify" WA against global shocks, invest in economic infrastructure and set the state up for a future with plenty of jobs. The Cook government's measures include $2.7 billion to bolster economic growth and create jobs, with a focus on local manufacturing. The financial blueprint also includes a further $1.4 billion has been allotted to boost housing supply, including measures to increase the construction workforce and help families access affordable homes. Almost $1 billion will be spent in cost-of-living relief, including residential battery rebates and no-interest loans, and reduced public transport fares. The measure also supplies free student travel and pensioner discounts, and student assistance payments for families. Health and mental health services will receive $1.4 billion to increase the number of doctors and nurses working in the state and bolster infrastructure, creating more hospital beds. A further $1.8 billion has been allocated to education and training to build more schools, upgrade others, boost before and after class care, and support regional learning. Net debt is expected to grow to $33.5 billion at the end of the current financial year, $1.1 billion than forecast, and expand to $42.4 billion over the forward estimates. The state is expected to stay in the black with operating surpluses between $2.4 and $2.8 billion predicted over the next four years. Economic growth is forecast to be 2.5 per cent in the year ahead, with 0.5 per cent expected in 2024-25 and 3 per cent in 2026-27. Ms Saffioti said WA was the most resilient state in the nation and remained its economic powerhouse, with manageable debt levels. The market for WA's key commodity, iron ore, also remained strong, along with domestic consumption and the jobs market, but global impacts on international trading partners could be significant in the future, she said. The treasurer said WA's controversial GST share was fundamental to the state's ability to fund new industrial projects that sent much of their revenue to federal coffers. "We have an abundance of the minerals that the world needs and we've got the solar and wind capacity that the world is striving for," she said. "What we need to do is invest in the infrastructure to support the aspirations of the private sector, and that's what we're very much tailored to."
