Year in review 2025: WA health crisis, Linda Reynolds wins defamation case, death of Ozzy and Eileen Bond

NATURE POSITIVE LAWS PASS If there was any doubt about Murray Watt’s reputation as a fixer, it was banished when he secured passage of the much-needed overhaul of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act on the final day of Parliament. It came five years and three reform attempts after Graeme Samuel’s review of the environmental laws and approvals processes. While industry and resources groups were hoping the Government would strike a deal with the Opposition, ultimately it was the Greens that came to the table and even agreed to some concessions that gave business some of the fixes they wanted. Senator Watt and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese have promised the new laws will be better for the environment and better for business. The proof of that will be in how quickly they can strike deals with State governments to assess and approve projects under Commonwealth laws in order to slash timelines. CAROLINA WILGA RESCUE It was the miracle news story that shocked the world – after spending 11 nights alone in the remote Wheatbelt outback, German backpacker Carolina Wilga was found alive and well. The 26-year-old was exploring near Beacon in an old Mitsubishi Delica in July when she lost control, hitting her head and wandering off in a state of confusion. She survived by drinking rainwater from puddles and sleeping in a cave before being spotted by a local farmer. Ms Wilga – who revealed she had lost 12kg – spent four nights recovering in hospital before returning to her home town, Castrop-Rauxe. “The thought of all the people who believed in me, searched for me, and kept hoping for me gave me the strength to carry on during my darkest moments,” she said in a statement. OZZY OSBOURNE DIES The music world was left reeling in July following the death of heavy metal icon Ozzy Osbourne at the age of 76. The “Prince of Darkness” passed away peacefully on July 22, just weeks after an emotional final performance with Black Sabbath in his hometown of Birmingham. Osbourne had been battling Parkinson’s disease since 2003, a condition he fought with the same public candor that defined his chaotic and legendary life. His passing marked the definitive end of a golden era in rock history, but Ozzy left behind a legacy that will echo as long as volume dials can be turned to eleven. AFL LEGENDS RETIRE While Fremantle and West Coast were at opposite ends of the ladder, both teams had one thing in common – a massive generational shift as several superstars retired. At the Dockers it was arguably two of their all-time greats in dual Brownlow medallist and former captain Nat Fyfe as well as sensational small forward Michael Walters who hung up the boots after both playing for more than a decade. The pair never tasted the ultimate success of a premiership but were vital in the cultural shift at the Dockers which has them as a contender in the near future. For the Eagles, it was the end for flag heroes Jeremy McGovern and Dom Sheed. McGovern was forced to retire mid-season because of concussion issues, while Sheed fell victim to a series of injuries which had plagued him over the past few seasons. COTTON QUITS WILDCATS Perth Wildcats fans awoke to a heartbreaking news on March 25 as five-time NBL MVP Bryce Cotton revealed on social media that he wouldn’t be playing for the club the next season. “Perth will always be home, but it’s time to say goodbye and see what else God has planned for me and my family,” he said. Fans had kind of been expecting the news. Cotton was a free agent and cashed-up clubs overseas were showing plenty of interest after his record breaking season. But nobody anticipated the end would come just two days after the NBL championship had been won. Then came a statement from the Wildcats which said Cotton had “been unable to commit to the Club.” That was widely interpreted as Cotton having accepted an offer elsewhere. But as the months ticked by and Cotton remained without a new club, doubts started to emerge. Then in late May, Cotton signed with Adelaide, leaving everyone flabbergasted. That shock turned into rage when Cotton dropped a bombshell, revealing the only reason he departed in March was because Wildcats gave him an deadline to sign a new deal. Fans lost their minds. They would have accepted Cotton playing overseas on a life-changing contract. But the idea that Cotton was playing in Adelaide because the Wildcats rushed him into making a call on his future left them with a bitter taste in their mouths that hasn’t gone away. EILEEN BOND DIES An effervescent chapter in West Australian history drew to a quiet close in July when Eileen Bond – one of the last Mohicans of 1980s Perth – died. Loud, rich and brash, Eileen and husband Alan epitomised WA’s coming of age after the droll conservatism of post-war society. They along with flashy risk-takers such as Brian Burke, Peter Briggs, Robert Holmes a Court, Laurie Connell, Dallas Dempster, Alastair Norwood, John Roberts and Tony Oates overthrew the conservative agrarian money that had run the town for generations. Red, as Eileen was known in a nod to her shock of ginger hair, was the public face of the insurrection, holding big parties in big houses at a time of big business deals. While Alan became persona-non-grata after the collapse of his business empire, Eileen remained a much-loved fixture of Perth’s philanthropic scene. AMBULANCE RAMPING/HOSPITAL OF HORRORS WA Health boss Shirley Bowen confirmed what doctors, nurses and patients already knew when she told The West Australian in July that the current model was “not coping” with WA’s growing and ageing population. What followed was three consecutive months of record ambulance ramping, in excess of 7000 hours per month. Roger Cook continued to defend the State’s “world class” hospital system, even as The West’s investigation revealed Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital had become a “hospital of horrors”. Constant leaks and suspected black mould resulted in more than 50 maintenance requests a day - one nurse claimed mushrooms were growing from the ceiling. Five days later, an audit and a $50 million maintenance blitz was announced. Under mounting pressure, in November, the Government axed plans to upgrade the Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre and said it would instead divert $1.5 billion towards a new hospital overhaul: buying a private hospital in Mt Lawley, fast-tracking an upgrade of Royal Perth Hospital and building a new Peel Health Campus. “I said that we would make health care a priority and this is a demonstration of that commitment,” the Premier said. The Opposition said Labor was dragged “kicking and screaming” into action. LINDA REYNOLDS WINS BRITTANY HIGGINS DEFAMATION CASE The long-awaited verdict in Linda Reynolds’ defamation case against her former staffer Brittany Higgins on August 27 delivered vindication in spades to the now retired politician. After a blockbuster Supreme Court of WA trial last year, Justice Paul Tottle found Ms Higgins and her husband David Sharaz had indeed besmirched the former Liberal senator in a series of social media posts in 2022 and 2023. In them, the couple alleged Ms Reynolds mishandled Ms Higgins’ claim she was raped by colleague Bruce Lehrmann in the then-minister’s Parliament House suite after a night out drinking in 2019. It was “a huge and monstrous lie” that cost her her health, career and “million” in lawyers’ fees, Ms Reynolds told reporters after emerging victorious from court. But the win was far from the end of the saga, with Ms Reynolds now seeking bankruptcy declarations for the pair after they failed to pay awarded damages and court costs. She has also taken the Commonwealth to the Federal Court over a $2.4 million settlement it reached with Ms Higgins over the mishandling allegations in 2022, allegedly without allowing her to be involved. Mr Lehrman’s 2022 rape trial was aborted due to juror misconduct, the charge was then dropped and he continues to maintain his innocence. RECORD FLU AND RSV SEASON The State experienced its worst year on record for both the flu and respiratory syncytial virus, prompting health experts to share fears about overflowing hospitals and plummeting vaccine figures. WA flu cases ticked over 30,000 for the first time since Federal records started in 2001 – reaching almost 35,000 cases by December. The State also experienced a horror season of RSV with the latest figures revealing more than 12,500 cases this year, almost 1000 more than the record set in 2022. The record numbers led to more than 20 RSV and influenza-related deaths including the passing of two-year-old Aabi, who died in May from the flu. With hospitals filling up with flu and RSV patients, the Australian Medical Association called for immediate action to combat vaccine hesitancy and reverse declining immunisation rates.