Ted O'Connor
Kununurra, WA
Ted O'Connor is a reporter based in Kununurra covering the East Kimberley.
Latest by Ted O'Connor
Poor planning led to out-of-control prescribed burn that damaged WA wilderness retreat, report finds
A review obtained by the ABC finds preparation for the 2020 burn in the Kimberley was "underpinned by plans produced by a division based in Perth" and contained information irrelevant to the local landscape.
Teens scare staff while 'swarming' remote supermarket, sparking fears of wider trend
Concerns are raised about groups of children stealing from supermarkets, after a "distressing" incident at a remote Kimberley store during which teens stole drinks and confectionary and tried to break into a cigarette cabinet.
Federal Liberals back cashless debit card reintroduction in response to crime, social issues
They have pledged to bring back a version of the controversial scheme if they win the next federal election, suggesting there have been "devastating consequences" since it was scrapped.
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Road closures hamper annual waterfall chase, frustrating locals and eager tourists
Waterfall season in the East Kimberley is an indescribable joy for many residents, and they want better road access to visit some of the best falls when they are "pumping".
Remote Indigenous community chief blames social dysfunction after giving double jobs to close family members
The Kalumburu Aboriginal Corporation CEO says she had no choice but to employ her close family members in additional youth worker roles amid ongoing welfare dependency, feuding, and substance abuse in the East Kimberley.
Shelves restocked, residents returning to the remote East Kimberley as Great Northern Highway reopens
The vast outback region has been cut off via road in recent days, but this morning floodwaters receded enough for a crucial highway to be reopened.
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Empty shelves and travel delays as flooding leaves East Kimberley communities cut off
Road access to the Kimberley towns of Halls Creek, Kununurra and Wyndham has been cut off by flooding across two major highways, although residents are well stocked and prepared for wet season challenges.
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Fears for East Kimberley's Gouldian finches after massive bushfires scorch habitat
Spotting an endangered Gouldian finch at Lake Argyle in the Kimberley is a treat for any bird lover, but the impact of two large bushfires, believed to have started from campfires, has worried locals and scientists.
Kimberley elder steps down from native title group after historical carnal knowledge allegations
Ted Carlton has long been a prominent Indigenous advocate in the Kununurra community. Now he is accused of carnal knowledge with a child under 16 when he was a teenager in the 1970s.
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Outback shire tight-lipped after CEO resigns after 'allegations' raised during closed door session
Halls Creek Shire in the Kimberley confirms chief executive Phillip Cassell has resigned, but it won't comment on the nature of the allegations raised during a council meeting.
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WA government urged to look into multiple family hires in taxpayer-funded Kimberley youth crime program
Questions remain about how an Indigenous corporation in the Kimberley employed multiple close family members to work in the much-vaunted Target 120 program. Local leaders want the state to take a closer look.
Man faces Broome court on murder charge after Christmas night death of woman in Cable Beach
Lawrence Coomerang, 30, has made his first appearance in the Broome Magistrates Court this morning on one count of murder.
Man charged with murder following woman's death in Broome on Christmas night
Police said the man was known to his alleged victim, who died at a residence in the Kimberley town on Monday evening.
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Homicide detectives investigate woman's death in Broome on Christmas night
A woman in her 30s dies after being found with serious injuries in the Kimberley town, while a man assists police with their inquiries.
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Questions raised over multiple family hires in WA-funded youth crime program
An Indigenous corporation in the Kimberley is under pressure to explain how multiple close family members of a Target 120 manager were employed in the program.
WA government frustrated with magistrate's acquittal of 10yo child who rammed police car
Authorities express frustration after a magistrate acquitted a 10-year-old boy, who tried to ram a police car in a stolen vehicle, because the child did not adequately grasp the severity of his offending.
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Magistrate acquits 10-year-old who tried to ram patrol car, slams police handling of case
Magistrate Michelle Ridley comes down hard on Kununurra police for their dealings with a boy who she said seemed to view car theft as a form of "common entertainment".
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Boy, 10, faces trial for alleged police car ramming attempt after speeding through town
Prosecutors have told a court a boy knew right from wrong when he allegedly put the lives of two police officers in danger while trying to ram their pursuit vehicle.
Questions over travel, business expenses as Aboriginal corporation AGM boils over
East Kimberley traditional owners say MG Corporation has cut back support for scholarships and funerals, amid concerns over travel and business expenses incurred by its leadership.
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Traditional owners allege prominent Aboriginal corporation breached rules during chair's vote
Lawford Benning is a well-known Indigenous advocate in the East Kimberley, but some traditional owners have been left angry and hurt by the circumstances surrounding his re-appointment in 2022 as MG Corporation's executive chair.
Court hears of 'catastrophic' police failings the night a Kimberley man killed his partner
A Supreme Court sentencing hears that two triple-0 calls were made the night Warrick Walkerbear bashed his partner to death, but officers did not intervene.
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East Kimberley leaders push for sentencing trek amid growing criticism of youth justice system
As the WA government faces a barrage of criticism over youth justice, Indigenous leaders in the East Kimberley are pushing the case for a so-called cultural sentencing trek, arguing a new approach is desperately needed.
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Locals lap up cheap fares from outback airline price war, but for how long?
Airnorth's fares connecting the Kimberley to Darwin have dropped since Nexus entered the air space, and while it means cheaper tickets there may be trouble on the horizon.
Outback shire hopes modular homes will solve childcare woes
Kununurra's housing crisis is causing havoc with the town's childcare sector, as the local shire reveals plans to attract much-needed workers to the remote town.
Man found not guilty of raping woman at remote WA football oval
A jury clears Corinthian Newry, 33, of raping a woman in the Kimberley, following a trial focusing heavily on the complainant's alcohol consumption on the day in question.