The Footy Almanac I watched the game from the comfort of a living room (with a TV) but I had requested to my source of a possible seat that no other fellow travellers on Fly Pies United Airline be ‘bumped off’ in order to consider my request He correctly offered it to his favourite (and only) grand daughter I watched and listened to some of the pre-game ceremonies with my mate who had never seen or heard the pre-game Anzac Day events I suggested that the bit between the bugle and the first bounce was worth experiencing – mostly for the chance to listen to a large crowd being quiet and respectful – until the shackles were off and the mighty cathartic roar could be heard – almost as if on cue knowing that “It’s going to be a bumpy ride” (as Bette Davis advises in the film but usually couldn’t bear to look away from the screen for too long So what follows is a report that mixes notes from during and after the game Happily no one is punching the daylights out of Naicos this week I would be much happier if he was instructed to hit the canvas each time he is assaulted I’m always happiest when we are in black shorts The AFL must’ve instructed the Ump to not deflate the atmosphere has his arm held and gets the first free of the game At least one umpire tries to makes a statement It will be interesting to see how this tactic is adjudicated across the day Not sure why we should expect ‘consistency’ or justice in this game as to what is seen or how the play is interpreted They can make as many mistakes as the players who picks it up and handballs to De Goey who tries a check-side banana Probably needed someone to tell him that he had more time (or use the other foot he has) Players hardly have time to think these days De Goey shoved in the back as he kicks for goal and almost does a hammy trying to stay on planet Earth They seem to be scared of paying free kicks to Collingwood in front of goal this early in the game A large crowd can put the fear into the merest of mortals The Pies have been schooled to be more resilient than I am who with composure drills it low and fast to Nick who with both feet lifting vertically off the ground The better parts of the crowd also lift to their feet First goal of the day and first as a Captain Maynard’s kick is something that has characterised the way the Pies have found targets up forward this year with shorter kick against the expectation of bombing it to the teeth of goals Different players choose either of these options this year because we have some tall timber up there Maynard’s kicking style has always been elegant He is finding himself closer to goals these days But if you have ever marvelled and wondered how a somewhat diminutive chap like Nick Daicos kicks the ball so well and so far He connects with the ball at a higher level than most; he kicks the ball around his body adding rotational upper body disassociation for extra oomph and accuracy His right hand stretches vertically upwards for balance to extend his axial elongation to provide extra distance and accuracy This also allows more room for his foot to swing through The ball has become like the proverbial cake of soap After some enterprising play by the Dons through the middle He keeps the tempo going by kicking it with control to De Goey Six of our forwards are leading in different directions to ensure one-on-one contests De Goey honours the double lead of Checkers who It opens a hole behind him for Membrey to take the mark The Pies are trying to take the Umpires out of the game All of that time on the training track during the week kicking over cardboard players around 2 metres tall has paid off After a well-crafted centre clearance started by Darcy Cameron the Dons repel an attack only to be cruelly pinged for ‘insufficient attempt’ just because the ball trickled over the line when no one was near penalize the player with the last touch before the ball goes out it would mean more decision-making and more pressure on unloved umpires Howe spills what seems like an easy chest mark Gerard Whately correctly calls it a “rare aerial error” A push into Quaynor’s back is followed by a push into Darcy Cameron’s back Players go for the push in the back knowing there’s more chance they won’t be pinged for it As the Coodabeens used to say about the Push in the Back rule: “bring it back” the broadcasters miss the opportunity to actually broadcast the centre bounce The newly hatched broadcasting idea of 4 replays of (some parts of) the lead up to a goal has the effect of bludgeoning the audience at home with far too much time for the ‘so-called’ experts to pontificate Following the ball with a keen eye and reading the play his hand intercepts an opponent’s forward move And then with a second effort wraps a player in a friendly bear hug Side-by-Sidey backs himself and breaks a tackle which starts a chain of handballs that are similarly broken who feel so entitled as to expect a free kick at every turn Our reputation as the slowest to kick and the fastest to at handballing means that Houston provides the final handball to Perryman on the run kicks a goal for the team he barracked for as a kid Didn’t we all?) None of the commentators actually mention that it was his first goal as a Pie and came from all corners of the ground to congratulate him (Of course the ground doesn’t have corners The vision mixer cuts to a close up as WHE knocks the ball forward We were always taught by Alf Potter not to cut from a wider camera shot to a close up during fast action on a panning shot as it not only means that it is too difficult for the eye to comprehend but that the cut itself would obscure the action So many of the rules and conventions invented by that great Television sports director have been broken by modern day coverage of the football (He also invented new ways of covering basketball and golf.) The Pies continue to play around the boundary line but sometimes they are so close to line that it only takes the slightest deviation and thereby lose the momentum of the attack as there’s time to take a quick breather before a reset Beautiful old-fashioned side bump give Lipinski clear access to the ball with the flight of the ball and almost takes the mark but more importantly has enough balance for a second effort and a handball to Frampton and then Howe with Howe taking on the role as Elder Statesman It suits the way the Pies commit to each contest Ned Long kicks the ball off the ground in a perfect soccer scoop pass to Nick who just misses from almost the same position from which he kicked the first goal what would be for him a usually gettable shot Some strange force is operating at that end to pull the ball to the left of the big sticks he’s back to pointing and checking positions Great follow up tackle by Long goes unrewarded The Dons miss a possible snap from a ball that carries over the back of a contest on the goal line Maynard following the ball with a weather eye Eliot slides on his bum across the wet MCG putting green to catch a ball kicked forward by Sidebum our pressure and tackling has been so impressive I sometimes wonder if it might be better to get to the ball first It leads to a chance in the goal square that McStay misses as the ball decides to go at right angles from his boot Bobby Hill does get pinged for ‘in the back’ Another great IQ tackle that dislodges the ball which Howe collects and switches to what used to be the Great Southern Stand side of the ground WHE finds Nick Daicos in the same place where he already kicked one and missed one Another miss to the left of the big sticks There will be more goal-kicking practice at training this week Some supporters are booing Naicos as he walks in for goal They obviously haven’t heeded McCrae’s sage advice: “In our family we don’t boo.” Quarter does not end with the often traditional melee that our centre square work has meant that the ground slopes towards our goals But the points on our side of the ledger do not reflect how much effort has been expended McCreery in the quarter time huddle reminding the boys to ‘make it count’ what once was the sacrosanct Pies’ portable whiteboard Perhaps it has something to do with warning about not getting bogged down.” The two play-making captains are playing on each other – or at least standing next to each other Both coaches wondering who will blink first  Another ball-up at the start of the quarter The Dons start the quarter with a new-found vigour Cameron not pinged after a tackle that waltzes him around 360 degrees he fires an amazingly adept handball to the helpful Lipinski Ruckmen are still afforded that extra second to do things Houston kicks out (a great new idea) and runs a bit further than most would expect to move their defence around and immediately handballs to Jaicos who courageously breaks tackles to take the corridor but the Pies remain in control as Maynard kicks a delicate pass to Lipinski who keeps the tempo going with a similar kick to Jamie I don’t mind this new ruling from the AFL to stop congestion if all of the grounds were mowed with 20 metre squares as it correctly curves around the post elegantly Elliot humbly touches the fingertips of his team-mates: as a vote of thanks and as a way of keeping in touch Nice shot of a smiling Collingwood supporter in the crowd with a celebratory fist pump with one hand and a half-eaten pie (with sauce) in the other In the centre Pendles kicks it off the ground of the Whiteboard instruction to ‘take territory’ A newly confident Elliot scoops the ball up who arches his back to avoid his opposing Captain and then he focuses on the next thing to do He keeps learning from Pendles (and other good mentors) 17 very effective disposals to Josh Daicos and it’s only 10 minutes into the second quarter The Collingwood tradition of brothers playing together Another great side bump: this time from Howe Crisp has become the courageous and sometimes chaotic link between the backline and the forward line Naicos serves a hard straight right to the side of the opponent even though the ball was over the boundary line but didn’t really need to send such a message Rules himself out of today’s Medal for best and fairest and Langford makes the ball bounce into his hands kicks a low goal that wakes up the previously sleepy Black and Red squadron the centre square bounce is relegated to a small box in the corner for far too long Surely this can’t be a directive from the AFL to try to increase numbers at the games Can’t fit too many more at the Gee on ANZAC Day It’s just plain formula-driven TV direction And don’t get me started about the banner at the bottom of the screen the camera operators can see this on their viewfinders There is already a groundswell of disaffection about this banner but the broadcasters might stick with it for a while The banner will be the next way of selling our eyeballs to advertisers the content on TV is actually there to provide opportunity for advertising – like uniforms that racing car drivers wear but it may not have been completely over the line  The Pies seem to have become a bit measured and less ferocious on the wing they are more interested in getting players into the best positions downfield One of the Collingwood-hating commentators says that Bomber Durram: “gets away with a nice little push on De Goey.” Not sure what was so ‘nice’ about it Doesn’t mention that the replay shows a hand clearly pushing De Goey in the back Only the camera and Collingwood supporters seem to see it If we brought in VAR for goal-scoring attempts we could stamp out some of these game-changing indiscretions the Essendon Captain pushes Naicos in the back and into the ground Does the AFL like sending this image across the world It might be the only way to stop this horrible bullying McStay is still in the ruck for the next bounce Sidey tackles with conviction and correctly deserves a free Without the drive he gets with his right foot it lands short and the Dons take an intercept mark It leads to another Bomber goal on the run Four Bomber goals have been conceded in quick succession He obviously needed the rest half way through the quarter The Pies bomb it twice into the forward line Cameron is back on the ground and floats across to help Frampton near the Dons’ goals Jaicos on the wing shows great Macedonian soccer skills But Essendon are taking many uncontested marks The vision mixer and director are so obsessed with Nick and the cult of celebrity that they miss the handball from Long to the swooping Vice Captain Maynard who kicks it with balance and timing from 50 on his trusty left No one seemed to have expected the Maynard drive by attacking move but do opposition players actually spend any time on their opponent or does zone defence mean they are never really responsible for doing so And do players just leave it to their Line Coaches and video analysts to communicate their intel on the opposition Josh Daicos goes for the ball and gets the ball but gets pinged because Perkins who missed it and teaches the young ones not to go for the ball On the slow motion replay of the Jaicos slide and gather I would’ve been happier if he said that Perkin was trying to ‘milk a free kick’ when tested by decisions that are not in the spirit of the Game Bobby Hill slips and allows an easy chest mark for his opponent it would’ve been a fitting way to cap off some creative mid-field handballs And (perhaps) silenced some of the bozzo broadcast ‘experts’ We seemed to really miss the presence of Captain Moore in that quarter Draper has been a bigger loss for them – even though the almost ageless Goldstein (at 36) has been more than useful I remind myself that it’s a game of two halves (Apparently.) Who knows white might eventuate The second is marked easily on the chest by the Dons’ tall defender (Again.) Gaining territory is good; providing a contest would’ve been better Maynard punches the ball away from a marking contest (Again.) Seems like someone has reminded the backline players that they are allowed to do so It’s still raining and the stands are half empty Perryman provides a tackle on Caddy right in front of goal No prior opportunity and a mis-interpretation of the Rules As the Coodabeens used to say: “You’d hate to see a Grand Final decided by that” Pies gat a free kick against them from the centre bounce The field slopes dramatically downhill towards whichever team gets it out of the centre A string of connecting passes lands the ball in the hands of Kako close to goal The Pies were not able to affect any spoils He kicks it through the centre of the big sticks Proof: the Dons have kicked 6 of the last 7 sausage rolls Bobby gets a sighter from the boundary line Houston launches another one of his huge roosts into the forward line Bobby kicks one from the ‘impossible angle’ Certainly changes the definition of ‘impossible’ Certainly changes the atmosphere of our squad as he takes a bow to the properly adoring crowd As Jack Dyer would say: “The angle was so acute the ball could’ve got stuck between the posts but the faithful want to make their presence felt We are the only team to recognise the barrackers in the post game winning song I wish all Pies’ supporters would sing it after every game The team puts in so much effort each week; each month; each year Sidebottom puts the ball on the ground after the ball was held to him Nick Daicos picks it up and hands it to the umpires Captain Merrett pushes Sidebottom clearly in the back (as has been the case by many Essendon players Sidey gets an obvious free that has not been paid for weeks Nick Daicos should’ve received another free kick around for around the neck Are they going to start adjudicating differently for him The difference is that Nick does not lower his body when he is so effective maintaining his elegant upward posture Bobby Hill makes up more ground than the Early Explorers in the back line Not sure if anyone else could have done so He is doing team things and extraordinary things Collingwood strings together some well-crafted passes such that Lipinski kicks the all-important soft short kick to a leading forward The replay of Bobby taking that mark breaks the usually sacrosanct 180 degree rule whereas we have previously seen him move and mark the ball from left to right All in the service of trying to show the only close up they had of the mark There are Iso(lated) cameras around the ground for big games like this But breaking the long tradition of putting all the cameras on one side of the ground can Using this replay also breaks the build up of audience expectation that properly accompanies a player lining up for goal His approach to goal veers slightly to the left: so does his kick I wonder whether other teams will copy this tactic I think it will depend on whether it’s in the back line of forward line De Goey bursting from the wing (as he used to) Long putting his body on the line and handballing (as we are starting to appreciate) Dependlebury hooking an insightful kick to Crisp in the perfect position on the 50 who marks gives the forwards time to settle and then kicks a controlled roost (as he does) to a central spot that doesn’t allow a rushed or punched defence Eliot sees a moment to pounce on a ball that was going to just dribble over the goal line Until Elliot’s quick thinking and instinct around the goals produces a huge lunging stretch He only needs a split-second and contact with the studs of his boot because no human eye could ever see the fact that Jamie had only 1/24th of a second to connect before the ball went over the goal line.) Goldstein (still 36) wins handsomely from the centre bounce and Hobbes picks it up to thread it through Instead he puts on a hard-as-nuts aggressive face again questions Houston’s  ‘hardness’ and commitment and the unpredictable bounce of an oval ball would’ve come in handy it reflects his lack of generosity of spirit and his own fear of being considered anything other than a tough manly Man he cannot bear the possibility of admitting to vulnerability No way will they say ‘Sorry’ or admit to being just plain wrong I actually blame the broadcasters for employing agent provocateurs to enflame controversies like many aspects of Australian television (and Politics) has been selectively imported (and copied) from dodgy overseas sources A camera operator spots Tuddy sitting in the stand I’ve recently seen him outside Port Melbourne Bunnings Lipinski looks as if he is about to handball 8 minutes left in the quarter and once again we seem to be slightly in control of the game even though we are only ahead by 4 missed points he is teaching everyone associated with the Game how to be a model citizen and teach good things to the kiddies I would not be surprised to see him penalised for this heinous breach of the Rules – even though it is so obviously helpful and respectful Pendles tries to find Beau in the forward pocket Another example of good manners and connection Goldy is providing Cameron with a lesson in ruck play Cameron still has his intercept marking in the back line as his 1 Wood Crisp provides a great smother on the half forward flank to find Elliot in the Elliot pocket and points to how close an Essendon player is encroaching on the protected space As soon as that player looks back at the Umpire who finds De Goey in the goal square for a strong acrobatic mark in the rain he will kick across his body diagonally to the other side The whole movement is breath-takingly fast congratulating and admiring each other for the improvisations they keep inventing Great idea from someone on the coaching panel to put JDG one-on-one in the goal square Are they learning from the way that Dangerfield is also using his almost immoveable body and football nous up forward Sullivan is warming up outside the boundary-line Checkers comes from the clouds to lay a great tackle After the Dons repel another move into the Pie’s forward line It means that the forward line can have another go at it and the backline can take 3 more deep breaths Lipinski tricks them by pointing to the goal-square and then short passing There have been quite a lot of these double-takes today It’s something that Andy Krakouer (RIP) used to do a lot when going for goal This short kick into the forward line is not new to AFL It’s something that’s been in evidence since week 1 Another burst from the Centre bounce by Nick He kick just falls short of a sliding De Goey Crisp marks on the other side of the ground Tricky swap or is he having a run on the ball Lipinski goes for a rare screamer in front of goals With a hand on top of the stepladder in front of him Usually he’s more disciplined in reading the room/field and wouldn’t do it if we were behind on the scoreboard who makes it look as if he is changing his mind mid-stream Jordon De Goey competes for a floating ball We have missed the chance to convert many forward moves this quarter Seems like team knows to just keep trying different ways to keep up scoreboard pressure Off field coach holds up two fingers to the players to indicate 2 minutes to go and one of the many reasons why he’s on the boundary-line benches as he takes the position previously occupied by an opponent How do they keep doing these never-before-seen-things reminds us how strong a mark he continues to be A free kick is paid against Lipinski for incorrect disposal The close up replay clearly shows that he did dispose by handball but after that his arms were flung wide by the rotating tackling to make it look like it was incorrect disposal Neither the umpires nor the commentators saw it Exasperated Nick Daicos finally shows that he has been held at the centre bounce I would instruct Nick to do this at every opportunity Let’s see if the opposition can cope with continuously losing the centre square contest A well-directed kick by Elliot to the top of the square falls safely into Darcy’s lap after others run under the ball What fitness to be an extra player one kick from the play Collingwood like deep entries into the forward line but have now learnt not to go so deep as to allow the ball to be rushed through A teacher would write on his report card: Keep up the good work A legitimate push in the back free kick to Caddy in front of goal Why did Frampton put a hand into his opponent’s back there are still free kicks given for when a player is pushed fair and square into the next postcode I think Frampton is still learning a lot about playing this game He does some of the small things really well; hopefully goes up against Wright at a boundary throw-in Bobby pulls his opponent off the ball with sheer strength A free against him has him standing in dis-belief I thought it was a fair contest won by a stronger player mean that the actual play is relegated to a small box in the corner It should be the other way around: put a replay in the small box for those who think they need it straight away creates a turnover and passes to De Goey on the Half Forward Flank near the boundary line Nice attempt to kick the goal around the corner it was one of those shots that needed a straight drop punt I’ve always preferred De Goey in the forward line Now that Long can play so many roles around the ball everyone is benefitting – especially Sidebottom be picks the ball up and gives to the Boundary Ump Painting a picture that shows co-operation and helpfulness must be part of the playing policy It sends a very good message across the code(s) Checkers punches the call from the next ruck contest with an almighty thwack the reaches who kicks it ‘first time’ (as they say in soccer: without needing to control the ball by any traditional means) It misses the target and dribbles over the line next to the behind post Whately correctly describes the sheer creativity as: “Almost Genius.” Bobby smiles as if he knows how to adjust his technique when next this opportunity arises There’s a feeling that some of the cross-training things they try on the training track for fun Bobby tries for a more conventional shot over his shoulder many others would never have been able to create the opportunity in the first place Howe takes a(nother) elegant mark in the back line Do they go to Tassie to train in this kind of rain take himself off the Essendon Christmas card list as Caddy greedily wrestles with teammate Wright for the mark To solve who should ‘ve been paid the mark who is very upset about some inconsistent umpiring decisions I’ve lost count of how many game-changing umpiring mistakes have lead to Opposition shots at goal Pies supporters are looking at the clock and doing the calculations if (they are) good enough” was the old saying That last Collingwood goal seemed to relax many Pies supporters; others are not so sure He’s taking them for himself and his absent off-sider Thanks to Houston applying some last minute pressure by kicking it into the base of the goal post I know: it doesn’t necessarily go that way but idiot supporters like me can easily catastrophize the maths After some gut busting running from De Goey to get a handball chain started who kicks to with poise to Eliot who misses a speccy but allows Will Hoskin-Elliot to keep his eyes on the ball and kick a goal with what seems to be his third kick of the day He seems to pop up whenever Collingwood need somebody to do the right things at the end of a game collect and then take off with thighs pumping relentlessly to take those extra steps to deliver a huge kick deep into the forward line Jamie Elliot takes what seems like an easy chest mark but is really the result of De Goey turning his back to the flight of the ball and moving his opponent with hands to his chest Another radically new piece of forward play by De Goey luckily there was no free kick against him It might also be another example of his ingenuity As Jamie catches his breath and considers whether to kick straight for goal or around his body checking whether a limping Essendon Hobbes is OK the Collingwood chant rises into the atmosphere Hard to describe what this team has been able to achieve: today; across our yesterdays Another nicely spinning kick forward by Josh Daicos creates a predictable flight path for a chest mark (and free kick) to Checkers on the 50 Now it’s his turn to kick a goal with what seems to be his third kick of the game Proper accolades for Vice-Captain Maynard for intercepting a pass and making sure it goes over the boundary line; but it was the desperate lunge and tackle by WHE that causes the ball to stray towards the line Just to show that Collingwood not only play the minutes but also the seconds a red 15 second sign in seen in the background Will Hoskin-Elliot provides a  trademark desperate tackle and others embracing and well-wishing each other – with sincerity The words that seem to sum up my feelings are admiration and gratitude To return to the www.footyalmanac.com.au  home page click HERE The opinions expressed in their articles are their own Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" Sign up for your weekly Almanac eNewsletter here VISIT OUR ONLINE STORE Copyright © 2025 · The Footy Almanac - Web Hosting by DISKMANdotNet Return to top of page CSIRO and the University of Western Australia (UWA) have signed a MOU to explore the opportunity to activate CSIRO's Floreat site into a new biomedical industry precinct The MOU signing was acknowledged by the Hon CSIRO and industry representatives at a media event on Friday 20th September CSIRO's current Floreat site has infrastructure capacity that this MOU will now facilitate for biomedical industry use resulting in industry clustering and fostering growth and sustainability Proximity to the UWA/QEII medical precinct will also be leveraged to link biomedical companies with academia and research The WA Government's Diversify WA Strategy recognises the importance of growing the Health and Medical Life Sciences industry sector as a priority sector to strengthen Western Australia's economy This new MOU is fundamental to helping create a vibrant local biomedical innovation precinct that will advance Western Australia's medtech manufacturing and generate global export opportunities There will be a call for expressions of interest (EOI) from WA Biomedical companies interested in activating the Floreat site which will inform the future framework and the use of the site.  Don't include any personal information.If you need a response, send an enquiry instead The Government of Western Australia acknowledges the traditional custodians throughout Western Australia and their continuing connection to the land We pay our respects to all members of the Aboriginal communities and their cultures; and to Elders both past and present Add articles to your saved list and come back to them any time A Floreat couple jailed last month for starving their teenage daughter and treating her like a little child are appealing their sentences were found guilty by a jury late last year after a litany of evidence was brought forward about how their daughter was suffering from grade four malnutrition before the Department of Communities removed her from their care A dance school teacher told Perth District Court the girl was small The wealthy couple who homeschooled the now 20-year-old woman have filed appeal documents this week with the Supreme Court of WA has filed an appeal claim stating that “the convictions were unsupported by the evidence and occasioned a miscarriage of justice” She also claimed that the sentences imposed were “manifestly excessive” The father’s grounds for appeal include that the jury’s verdict was unreasonable and not supported by the evidence Documents seen by this masthead and filed on his behalf also state that the minimum non-parole period he received was manifestly excessive The woman’s document states she will be self-representing throughout the appeal process who cannot be identified for legal reasons were slammed by District Court judge Linda Black at sentencing in January over gross negligence she said constituted “wilful blindness of the most extreme kind” “A parent that was not neglectful would have taken their daughter to see a medical professional long before you did —it was apparent to everyone around her except the people who professed to love her and I simply cannot accept you didn’t see it,” Black said The court was told the girl — who had limited social interactions beyond dance classes — was admitted to hospital for almost two months at the age of 16 Doctors raised concerns about her elevated heart rate and delays in her bone age and puberty caused by prolonged malnutrition ruling she was at risk of cardiac arrest and placing her on a nasogastric tube But despite the mounting evidence about the risk to their daughter’s health Black said the pair adopted the belief that the dance instructors medical staff and the authorities were conspiring against them The fact your daughter felt she could not survive without you is your fault,” she said “You have created a child unable to function as an independent adult at more than 20 years of age means she cannot psychologically grasp the concept that the two people who loved her most were the same two people who neglected her.” Start the day with a summary of the day’s most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter. A Floreat couple jailed last month for starving their teenage daughter and treating her like a little child are appealing their sentences. The man and woman, both aged 48, were found guilty by a jury late last year after a litany of evidence was brought forward about how their daughter, an aspiring dancer and musician, was suffering from grade four malnutrition before the Department of Communities removed her from their care. The wealthy couple who homeschooled the now 20-year-old woman have filed appeal documents this week with the Supreme Court of WA. The mother, who was sentenced to five years in prison, has filed an appeal claim stating that \\u201Cthe convictions were unsupported by the evidence and occasioned a miscarriage of justice\\u201D. She also claimed that the sentences imposed were \\u201Cmanifestly excessive\\u201D. The father\\u2019s grounds for appeal include that the jury\\u2019s verdict was unreasonable and not supported by the evidence. Documents seen by this masthead and filed on his behalf also state that the minimum non-parole period he received was manifestly excessive. He was sentenced to 6\\u00BD years behind bars. The woman\\u2019s document states she will be self-representing throughout the appeal process. The couple, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, were slammed by District Court judge Linda Black at sentencing in January over gross negligence she said constituted \\u201Cwilful blindness of the most extreme kind\\u201D. \\u201CA parent that was not neglectful would have taken their daughter to see a medical professional long before you did \\u2014it was apparent to everyone around her except the people who professed to love her, and I simply cannot accept you didn\\u2019t see it,\\u201D Black said. The court was told the girl \\u2014 who had limited social interactions beyond dance classes \\u2014 was admitted to hospital for almost two months at the age of 16, weighing in at just shy of 28 kilograms. Doctors raised concerns about her elevated heart rate, flaking skin, and delays in her bone age and puberty caused by prolonged malnutrition, ruling she was at risk of cardiac arrest and placing her on a nasogastric tube. But despite the mounting evidence about the risk to their daughter\\u2019s health, Black said the pair adopted the belief that the dance instructors, medical staff and the authorities were conspiring against them. \\u201CThat is the child you created. The fact your daughter felt she could not survive without you is your fault,\\u201D she said. \\u201CYou have created a child unable to function as an independent adult at more than 20 years of age. \\u201CThe dependence you have created, and the interwoven relationship, means she cannot psychologically grasp the concept that the two people who loved her most were the same two people who neglected her.\\u201D Start the day with a summary of the day\\u2019s most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. . CNN and the BBC World Service which is copyright and cannot be reproduced AEST = Australian Eastern Standard Time which is 10 hours ahead of GMT (Greenwich Mean Time) Subiaco-Floreat have taken over Midland-Guildford as the powerhouses of Female Premier Cricket after winning the 50-over title by eight wickets at the WACA Ground Subiaco-Floreat won the toss and elected to bowl on a typically fast and bouncy WACA Ground pitch and their decision was immediately vindicated with the key wicket of rising star Ines McKeon off the very first ball of the match who has had a breakout summer with Melbourne Stars in the Weber Women’s Big Bash League was cruelly run out without facing a ball after she was found short of her ground following a direct hit run-out from Subiaco Floreat’s Jacqueline Naidoo Naidoo then produced another outstanding piece of individual play in the next over WA skipper Chloe Piparo (53) was able to dig deep for her side while the state-level experience of Lilly Mills (14) and Shay Manolini (23) helped rebuild the innings during the middle overs The key breakthrough of Piparo from Subiaco captain Jess Emery swung the momentum back towards her side just as Midland-Guildford were threatening to post a defendable score Emery managed to produce a game-breaking spell as she was able to run through Midland’s middle to lower order in quick succession She finished with the fine figures of 5-14 off seven overs to help dismissed Midland-Guildford for 140 which included losing their last six wickets for 41 runs Emery was well supported by Naidoo (2-20 off eight overs) who also claimed multiple wickets while Olivia McSweeney (1-16 off six) and Neha Prashanth (1-26 off four) chipped in Subiaco-Floreat were empathic in the run-chase running down the 141-run target with eight wickets and 18 overs to spare WA star opener Maddy Darke (82 off 91) produced a match-winning half-century striking nine boundaries in a classy batting display She was well supported by fellow opener Tya Gonsalves (18) with the pair combining for a 59-run stand for the opening wicket Naidoo (27*) then combined with Darke to take the score to 128 before Darke was finally dismissed by Sheldyn Cooper Naidoo and experienced state batter Mikayla Hinkley (4*) then completed the job with Naidoo bringing up the winning runs with the only six of the match Female A Grade Midland-Guildford 140 (Piparo 53 Naidoo 2-20) defeated by Subiaco-Floreat 2-145 (Darke 82 After Ariel Bombara claimed WA police ignored repeated warnings her father was dangerous and had guns eight officers now face disciplinary action Police officers missed red flags and should have seized the guns of a man who went on to kill a mother and daughter in a search for his ex-wife Mark Bombara killed Jenny Petelczyc and her 18-year-old daughter, Gretl Petelczyc Bombara believed his ex-wife had been staying at the house in Floreat in Perth’s west claimed WA police ignored repeated warnings her father was dangerous and had several guns Sign up for Guardian Australia’s breaking news email The WA police commissioner, Col Blanch, said an internal investigation had found eight officers did not perform their duty and would face disciplinary action. “Officers did not correctly assess the risk, therefore the available powers under the Restraining Orders Act and Firearms Act were not exercised appropriately,” Blanch said on Friday. The investigation found police did not properly investigate allegations Bombara had committed offences with firearms and whether he was a fit and proper person to own a gun. Read moreMonths earlier Bombara had suffered a minor stroke and had ongoing mental health issues the WA government has amended firearm laws requiring mental health checks and safety training for owners 11 of which have been completed and all were welcomed by Ariel Bombara “This report identifies all the risk factors we communicated to the police,” she said She said she was “baffled” at how police missed the red flags concerning her father “I think this was the perfect storm of apathy and compassion fatigue from officers,” she said outdated policies and insufficient training and support WA police admitted a protection order should have been in place for the Bombara family when they had first reported incidents of violence “I tried so hard to convince the police of the danger and I deserved better,” Ariel Bombara said Details of the disciplinary action taken against the individual police officers were not disclosed In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is on 13 11 14 and the national family violence counselling service is on 1800 737 732 Download the Summary of outcomes: police response review Floreat murder/suicide (PDF, 291KB) Don't include any personal information.If you need a response, send an enquiry instead My first contribution for the year and think I got pretty lucky in getting this game and result! I must admit that I changed my tip at least 5 times during Friday Our family has an unmercifully cut-throat tipping competition and whilst winning is everything and despite being a “Collingwood worrier” I’ve never tipped against the Pies irrespective of the quality of the opposition I’ve always admired the Swans as a fiercely competitive hard tackling team and with the Pies going into the game without Houston I was really worried about our ability to score and match the Swans midfield pace my heart overruled my head and I went with the Pies as always and remain in second place on the family ladder! seemed to have been more intense than previous years in 2023 and 2024 and I can only guess that this is the result of the organisers having really strong “event confidence” the result of the whole program being well attended by fans capturing the attention of the media and being sought after by competing potential hosts Whilst I’ve been to Adelaide Oval on several occasions for Test and Pink Ball Test matches I am yet to make the Gather Round but it’s on my list The night started well with a very cheeky and provocative cheer squad banner which read “We are the Pies of South Australia” No doubt niggling Crows and Power fans alike even though neither was involved in this match I was surprised to see Ed Allen start as the sub thinking he might have gone straight into middle to provide some physicality around the ball in place of JDG I remember Ed’s Round 25 game against Melbourne last year particularly well and thought he might get given the instruction to make a similar contribution Another reason I’ve never been considered a coaching candidate at the Pies!!? the game lit up in the first minute of the game when Ned Long got what was to become one of many hardball gets and flicked out a handpass to Sullivan who in turn got the ball across to Lipinksi who in the flash of an eye controlled the ball in one hand fashioned an over the shoulder handpass out to Bobby who was cruising in 5th gear and who as Gerard Whately said “ Lights up the hill” The quarter progressed at a really high level of physical intensity and speed highlighted by McStay absolutely smashing his way into a contested marking opportunity (failed to hold it) and a searing Naicos pass to Mihocek What I really liked about the piece of play with the Naicos pass was the incredibly clever handball from Sidey He put the ball well in front of Naicos allowing him to run onto the ball cleanly gather and just put the ball in front of Mihocek with Swans players in front and behind him laces out Goals to McCreery after a mark was not paid to McStay who then followed up with a strongly contested mark and goal from 45m was a good finish to a “hot” quarter The second quarter was another period of high quality and high pressure football and I thought the Pies were terrific in meeting every challenge thrown at them including the highly dubious free kick from a ball up which saw the ball get tapped out and then land over the boundary line How the umpire thought a ‘single’ hand that hit the ball and not both ruck’s hands is beyond me I don’t know the rule well enough to know if a ‘draw’ is an option available to the umpire Darcy Moore made a terrible error deep in defence which cost us a goal and WHE had a moment he probably regretted and I really hoped he would get a chance in the game to redeem himself which he did with a nice goal around the corner after Darcy Cameron jagged the ball out of the ruck and handballed it off My #1 highlight for the quarter (or night??) was an “underground” Sidebottom handball on the wing to a running McCreery who then kicked deep into the forward line and resulted in a Bobby Hill loose ball get and handball to Sullivan who finished off with a nice goal from about 45m out weaving his way around opponents all the time assessing what he will do with the ball His decision making and delivery are elite and I just hope he is able to maintain his standards for another couple of years The Swans second half of the quarter was excellent after the margin had blown out 26 points and were able to get back to within 10 pts with only a few minutes remaining who watched McStay fly against three opponents in a pack and stayed on the ground like he should helped get the margin back out to 17 pts at the break With the Swans really challenging us in the back half of the previous quarter I took confidence from the number of contested marks our big guys were taking and our contested ball presence which was really enhanced by Ned Long but the Swans had gotten to with 10 pts when a lot of other teams would have capitulated Our mids really had a good quarter with Naicos Lipinski and Elliott all making valuable contributions taking a mark  running into oncoming traffic followed by a pass to the goal square which was marked by Membrey and resulted in a goal Some manic Magpie pressure then saw the Swans turn the ball over in our forward line allowing Bobby to run onto a loose ball and pass to Jamie It was at this point that my roast chicken salad and chips dinner decided to celebrate all over the couch I was forbidden from waiting until the end of the quarter to attend the clean up operation I don’t recall ever seeing McCreery kick a booming 55m goal on the run at the same time as kneeling at the couch family dog competing for the crumbs and me being berated for my clumsiness Waters  she was starting to sound a little like Mrs Three Quarter time: Pies 13.11.89 vs Swans 10.4.64 The pace came off a little in the final quarter and the Pies really showed some classy use of the ball 8 and 6 disposal respectively for the quarter you know you are going to see some brilliance Add to this contested mark and goals to Elliott and Mihocek and another crumbing goal for Billy after some great ground work by McStay and it was all over Our tenth win in a row at Adelaide Oval and perhaps just as importantly which is a great reward for our travelling supporters Full time: Pies 16.13.109 vs Swans 12.6.78 Read more Floreat Pica Match Reports HERE. Expressions of interest for a biomedical hub at the CSIRO Floreat site can be made online.  Biomedical industry representatives are invited to attend the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) Floreat site Open Day. The Open Day follows the recent memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the Department of Jobs CSIRO and the University of Western Australia (UWA).  The MOU aims to explore opportunities to foster future growth and sustainability in WA’s biomedical industry sector The site's close proximity to UWA and the Queen Elizabeth II (QEII) medical precinct offers potential to link industry and generate global export opportunities.  Visitors must register one of the 4 available session times on Thursday 12 December 2024 to tour the site.  Learn more and register your attendance via Eventbrite Learn more about the MoU via the announcement article Don't include any personal information.If you need a response, send an enquiry instead There’s been a lot of chatter and talk about the Blues so far this season already There’s been a lot of press early this season already with a number of media articles looking back on the last 20  25 years by former coaches of the once arrogant club All very revealing about the ingrained boardroom self interested culture that has poisoned their well notable feature of their club is their fans – unlike any other club’s fans – they roundly boo their own players from the field after every loss In fact they (collectively) will boo them at any time during the game for any skill error lack of endeavour or any perceived infraction at all I am no fan of Carlton (the club) however I do have some serious empathy for their players Cripps is a heart-and-soul player as are a couple of others The players having to cop greater flak and criticism from their fans than their direct opponents A danger game for The Pies – ALWAYS a danger game against the traditional enemy even when they are on the ropes so we had better bring our best game tonight or there will be tears all around After a great catch up at the Grace Darling with Logue Hester who are over for the footy we get to our seats at 7.32 when the game had already begun – I stuffed up the time – I had 7.40 as “per usual” and it started at 7.30????……… the AFL…… Getting into the game was a complete shambles At Gate 4 we were funnelled into two (instead of the usual six or eight) single-lane corridors through vertical metal detectors with one very harassed “security” guard who was clearly stressed Bag checking was done on the side with another overwhelmed and stressed checker Completely missed me with my backpack and folded Mae and I both commented on this at the time we missed the start and I arrive just in time to see Carlton kick the opening score however the bounce has not been kind to us so far At the 91/2 min mark Carlton kick the opening goal of the game a Carlton player blazes away selfishly and kicks a point Followed by our opening goal from 50m’s to our marque defender Great shepherd from Checkers in the goal square A minute later after great sharking off the pack Next score is another point to the Blues after the mark is paid after a blatant push in the back Two more points to the Blues and after some sensational play by Sidebottom at the 28 minute mark 30 minute mark Charlie Curnow kicks a lovely goal to give Carlton back the lead 33 mins and the siren sounds and an old-fashioned melee breaks out as teams go to their huddles both sides had some good play followed by poor play… Collingwood certainly looking like the have had a week off and endeavouring to get back into the groove 4 minutes in and the rain begins to fall with the resultant errors in disposal Jamie Elliot has a shot on goal with a greasy ball and misses Bobby Hill gets one around the neck but misses Checkers has a tough shot from 50 and it is rushed through Carlton has a shot and misses everything –  bit of a let off… McStay has a shot after landing flat on his back and misses again After a great defensive mark Jeremy Howe passes to Mihocek who hits the post after a (usually) easy set shot from 20m’s Next thing you know it’s an easy goal to Carlton – 1st goal for the quarter – at the 24 minute mark Siren goes early at the 281/2 minute mark and the Blues lead 4.5 to The Pies 3.7 5 shots on goal scoring 5 points to one shot on goal scoring 6 points…. Seems that Collingwood are playing well within themselves at the moment certainly appear to be a tad rusty if you like Seems to be the battle of the center half back lines at the moment De Koning and Cameron are having a fabulous tussle so far probably Cameron having slightly better impact around the ground With 4 points in it – the game is virtually all tied up and anything can happen in the second half…. Quarter begins with a quick shot on goal from Shultzy from 50 who misses then after a good bit of play from Elliot to De Goally who thumps it through and we hit the front 6 mins and 50 Shultz kicks a fine goal via some lovely play – classic stuff The kickout from the Blues is turned over and Membrey kicks a beautiful goal Perryman pulls wonderful mark out of nowhere Another three points by the 18 min mark and it’s 6.12 to 4.5 Despite spending nearly all of the time in our forward half 18 shots on goal for 6 goals is a (recurring) worry Carlton rushes one then Shultzy comes to the rescue and kicks another Darcy Cameron and Tom De Koning’s ruck duel continues to be a close fought battle and just about the highlight of the game for me so far Collingwood really took the tackling up 2 or 3 notches in this quarter and it showed starkly on the scoreboard 4 goals 6 points to one rushed behind to the Blues…. A 25 point lead in the context of the game is pretty good Well’ I didn’t know that Ned Long was on – he must have been subbed out for someone (JDG it was) – however he just kicked a LOVELY goal Mihocek takes a fabulous mark in the wet sliding on his bum however kicks a point Halfway through and the fizz certainly seems to have gone out of the game Certainly the stands are looking pretty empty as Carlton supporters desert the ground The highlight for the crowd is shots of Peter Daicos smiling and waving to the crowd to rapturous applause The Blues kick a couple more goals and the siren sounds and aside from a couple proper stars – Walsh TDK and a couple of others – were generally outclassed The Per Mac Cup/ McGuane/ McKenna/Thomas Shield votes are as follows: I thought Frampton played his role really well The backline were terrific against some quality players Lipinsky was more than handy as was Naicos thought that Checkers and Elliot had good games which could/should have been better if they were more accurate Membrey’s goal might keep him in the side next week particularly without Jordan De Goey and Houston Bobby Hill was not up to his best (up at night with a new baby I’m told) I couldn’t split 4 players  – how does 4 go into 6 1 vote                         Nick Dacios We are privileged to watch a proper champion file:///var/mobile/Library/SMS/Attachments/b9/09/7807AA9C-F8CB-4E0F-9227-6E22C04F8C97/IMG_6557.jpeg Two Floreat parents have spent their first night behind bars after being found guilty of starving their teenage daughter spent four weeks on trial where damning evidence was presented to the court about how the girl was allowed to become dangerously thin and developed grade 4 malnutrition that could have killed her The girl’s parents outside court last month.Credit: 9News Perth A jury took just four hours on Wednesday to find both parents guilty of four counts of having care or control of a child engaged in conduct that was reckless and may have resulted in that child suffering The married couple have been on bail since their arrest in 2021 but despite impassioned pleas from both their lawyers District Court Judge Linda Black remanded them both in custody to await sentencing stating that it was not in their daughter’s best interest for them to return home Black told the couple there was a “potential risk of further harm” to the girl who is now 20 and living with her parents full-time She said the harm the parents caused to the girl was “significant” and would likely carry a lengthy term of imprisonment She also slammed the mother for allowing the girl to come to court during the trial to give evidence on her behalf stating that she had been “a victim of significant trauma” and criticised the woman’s lawyer for having the “audacity” to call for a re-trial when the girl had a panic attack and could not enter the witness box last week Black also praised the two ballet teachers who raised concerns about the girl to authorities “They could have taken their money and run,” she said “Then they had to come to court and be accused of lying and making things up.” The bizarre case has gripped the state for four weeks as witnesses gave evidence that the girl was taking dance classes in 2020 at 16 years old Her father forged her birth certificate to make teachers believe she was 14 at the time but even then she was significantly shorter and weighed less than other children in the class who were two years younger than her actual age Those same dance teachers told the court they raised concerns with the parents in conversations After pressure escalated for the parents to get the girl assessed by a doctor they moved her to a different dance school more teachers and parents raised concerns about the girl’s appearance But it wasn’t just her weight – witnesses told the court the girl was unusually immature for her age despite also believing she was two years younger than her actual age She would hold her mother’s hand to and from the dance classes; dress like a young child with bows in her hair; had an interest in soft toys and preschool television shows; and would often sit on her mother’s lap The parents insisted on sitting in on every dance class when other parents would drop their child and leave The court heard the girl was homeschooled and academically bright but seemed to have limited interactions with anyone outside of her parents and the dance school Both parents were university educated; the mother gave up her career to be a stay-at-home mum The father admitted to the jury he was controlling of his wife and was verbally abusive and coercive when the walls were closing in and more people were raising concerns about the girl’s appearance the dance school insisted the girl be brought food to eat between classes both parents told the court they believed the girl’s appearance was hereditary; that they were both small and skinny as children and that she was just “following the same path” They tried to convince the jury the girl had chosen to become vegan when she was 12 years old and that she was the “healthiest child they knew” They said food was always available in the home and that the girl could eat whatever she wanted They also claimed they did not take concerns about the girl’s weight seriously because they did not believe she was too thin When shocking photos of the girl’s emaciated appearance were shown to them on the witness stand claiming she was “a bit thin” but not medically so the Department of Communities was contacted by one of the dance school owners and separately another dance instructor contacted the child protection department of Perth Children’s Hospital Calls were made to the parents where they were requested to get the girl medically evaluated to alleviate any concerns but the court heard evidence that it took the parents five months to present the girl to a doctor the father saw his own GP without the girl present and discussed the issue asking for a medical document stating she was healthy and instead the father avoided phone calls and emails from the department changing his phone number multiple times and even hiding their communication from his wife He claimed he was shielding her from the concerns She claimed she had no idea the department was involved for so long Department caseworkers even made a home visit to the family’s home in the wealthy western suburb of Floreat where they were spoken to by the father at the door He told them he wasn’t concerned about the girl’s appearance stating that she was “small but eats a lot” but claimed she was busy with a piano lesson and could not come to the door to be seen He told the department he would take the girl to see a dietician but five times made appointments that he later cancelled the parents relented and took the girl to see a GP who weighed her The GP was so concerned she told the parents the girl needed a blood sample and then to be taken to the emergency department at Perth Children’s Hospital They took her a week later and she was admitted She was placed on a nasogastric tube and spent 50 days in hospital where gained weight and grew in height Doctors could find no medical explanation for her malnutrition The parents argued with doctors saying they were “crazy” when it was told to them the child was at risk of death or a heart attack because of her condition and obstructed the care she desperately needed the Department of Communities took the girl out of their care so she could receive the medical attention she needed She was later placed into a foster care arrangement with family members after she was discharged from hospital She returned home to live with them on her 18th birthday Both parents were charged with two counts of having care or control of a child engaged in conduct that was reckless and may have resulted in that child suffering in relation to the girl’s malnourishment as well as emotional social and functional neglect Each charge carries a maximum sentence of 10 years Get the day’s breaking news, entertainment ideas and a long read to enjoy. Sign up to receive our Evening Edition newsletter. Two Floreat parents have spent their first night behind bars after being found guilty of starving their teenage daughter, as well as social, emotional and functional neglect. The parents, both 47, who cannot be named for legal reasons, spent four weeks on trial where damning evidence was presented to the court about how the girl was allowed to become dangerously thin and developed grade 4 malnutrition that could have killed her. A jury took just four hours on Wednesday to find both parents guilty of four counts of having care or control of a child engaged in conduct that was reckless and may have resulted in that child suffering. The married couple have been on bail since their arrest in 2021, but despite impassioned pleas from both their lawyers, District Court Judge Linda Black remanded them both in custody to await sentencing, stating that it was not in their daughter\\u2019s best interest for them to return home. Black told the couple there was a \\u201Cpotential risk of further harm\\u201D to the girl, who is now 20 and living with her parents full-time. She said the harm the parents caused to the girl was \\u201Csignificant\\u201D and would likely carry a lengthy term of imprisonment. She also slammed the mother for allowing the girl to come to court during the trial to give evidence on her behalf, stating that she had been \\u201Ca victim of significant trauma\\u201D and criticised the woman\\u2019s lawyer for having the \\u201Caudacity\\u201D to call for a re-trial when the girl had a panic attack and could not enter the witness box last week. Black also praised the two ballet teachers who raised concerns about the girl to authorities. \\u201CThey could have taken their money and run,\\u201D she said. \\u201CThen they had to come to court and be accused of lying and making things up.\\u201D The bizarre case has gripped the state for four weeks as witnesses gave evidence that the girl was taking dance classes in 2020 at 16 years old, but had the appearance of a nine-year-old. Her father forged her birth certificate to make teachers believe she was 14 at the time, but even then she was significantly shorter and weighed less than other children in the class, who were two years younger than her actual age. Those same dance teachers told the court they raised concerns with the parents in conversations, phone calls and emails, which they say were ignored. After pressure escalated for the parents to get the girl assessed by a doctor, they moved her to a different dance school. There, more teachers and parents raised concerns about the girl\\u2019s appearance. But it wasn\\u2019t just her weight \\u2013 witnesses told the court the girl was unusually immature for her age, despite also believing she was two years younger than her actual age. She would hold her mother\\u2019s hand to and from the dance classes; dress like a young child with bows in her hair; had an interest in soft toys and preschool television shows; and would often sit on her mother\\u2019s lap. Her parents would speak for her, they said, and she was rarely left alone. The parents insisted on sitting in on every dance class when other parents would drop their child and leave. The court heard the girl was homeschooled and academically bright, showing a gift for piano, but seemed to have limited interactions with anyone outside of her parents and the dance school. Both parents were university educated; the mother, a former journalist, gave up her career to be a stay-at-home mum, while the father worked in IT. The father admitted to the jury he was controlling of his wife and was verbally abusive and coercive. In 2020, when the walls were closing in and more people were raising concerns about the girl\\u2019s appearance, the dance school insisted the girl be brought food to eat between classes. While others had bowls of pasta, she would eat a few crackers with tomato, if anything. But on the witness stand, both parents told the court they believed the girl\\u2019s appearance was hereditary; that they were both small and skinny as children and that she was just \\u201Cfollowing the same path\\u201D. They tried to convince the jury the girl had chosen to become vegan when she was 12 years old and that she was the \\u201Chealthiest child they knew\\u201D. They said food was always available in the home and that the girl could eat whatever she wanted. They also claimed they did not take concerns about the girl\\u2019s weight seriously because they did not believe she was too thin. When shocking photos of the girl\\u2019s emaciated appearance were shown to them on the witness stand, they brushed off concerns, claiming she was \\u201Ca bit thin\\u201D but not medically so. Eventually, the Department of Communities was contacted by one of the dance school owners and separately another dance instructor contacted the child protection department of Perth Children\\u2019s Hospital. Calls were made to the parents where they were requested to get the girl medically evaluated to alleviate any concerns. The matter could have ended there, but the court heard evidence that it took the parents five months to present the girl to a doctor. In the meantime, the father saw his own GP without the girl present and discussed the issue, asking for a medical document stating she was healthy. That GP declined, and instead the father avoided phone calls and emails from the department, changing his phone number multiple times and even hiding their communication from his wife. He claimed he was shielding her from the concerns. She claimed she had no idea the department was involved for so long. Department caseworkers even made a home visit to the family\\u2019s home in the wealthy western suburb of Floreat, where they were spoken to by the father at the door. He told them he wasn\\u2019t concerned about the girl\\u2019s appearance, stating that she was \\u201Csmall but eats a lot\\u201D but claimed she was busy with a piano lesson and could not come to the door to be seen. He told the department he would take the girl to see a dietician, but five times made appointments that he later cancelled. By April 2021, the parents relented and took the girl to see a GP who weighed her. She was just 27.3 kilograms. The GP was so concerned she told the parents the girl needed a blood sample and then to be taken to the emergency department at Perth Children\\u2019s Hospital. They took her a week later and she was admitted, despite her parents\\u2019 reluctance. She was placed on a nasogastric tube and spent 50 days in hospital where gained weight and grew in height. Doctors could find no medical explanation for her malnutrition. The parents argued with doctors saying they were \\u201Ccrazy\\u201D when it was told to them the child was at risk of death or a heart attack because of her condition and obstructed the care she desperately needed. Shortly after, the Department of Communities took the girl out of their care so she could receive the medical attention she needed. She was later placed into a foster care arrangement with family members after she was discharged from hospital. She returned home to live with them on her 18th birthday. Both parents were charged with two counts of having care or control of a child engaged in conduct that was reckless and may have resulted in that child suffering in relation to the girl\\u2019s malnourishment, as well as emotional social and functional neglect. Each charge carries a maximum sentence of 10 years. Get the day\\u2019s breaking news, entertainment ideas and a long read to enjoy. A Floreat man has been charged with animal cruelty after he allegedly caught and then trapped a pet cat in an esky for eight hours RSPCA WA said they received a cruelty report from a City of Nedlands ranger in March 2023 in relation to a dead cat Local government rangers called the RSPCA after they found the cat dead in an esky.Credit: RSPCA WA The man allegedly told the ranger he thought the cat was a feral stray and that he put it in the esky at about 7am that morning removing the drain hole to allow for airflow He told the ranger he was concerned the cat would scratch him or his children and that it had been aggressive and disturbing his rabbits he found a microchip confirming the cat was someone’s pet An RSPCA WA vet said the cat likely died due to suffering from hypoxia and hypercapnia which wereexacerbated by increased humidity from water vapour Stress and fear would have increased metabolism The man was charged under the Welfare Act with being a person in charge of a cat the cat was confined in a manner that caused He is due to appear in Perth Magistrates Court on January 24 The maximum penalty is a $50,000 fine and five years in prison A Floreat man has been charged with animal cruelty after he allegedly caught and then trapped a pet cat in an esky for eight hours, causing its death. RSPCA WA said they received a cruelty report from a City of Nedlands ranger in March 2023 in relation to a dead cat. The man allegedly told the ranger he thought the cat was a feral stray and that he put it in the esky at about 7am that morning, removing the drain hole to allow for airflow. He said he did not give the cat water. He told the ranger he was concerned the cat would scratch him or his children and that it had been aggressive and disturbing his rabbits. But when the ranger scanned the cat, he found a microchip confirming the cat was someone\\u2019s pet. When its owners were contacted, however, they surrendered it to the RSPCA. An RSPCA WA vet said the cat likely died due to suffering from hypoxia and hypercapnia which wereexacerbated by increased humidity from water vapour. Stress and fear would have increased metabolism, heat and carbon dioxide production, as well as increase oxygen requirements. The man was charged under the Welfare Act with being a person in charge of a cat, the cat was confined in a manner that caused, or was likely to cause, unnecessary harm. He is due to appear in Perth Magistrates Court on January 24. The maximum penalty is a $50,000 fine and five years in prison. “Please can you drop the charges against my mum and dad so that I can keep living with my cat brothers and sisters?” That was the plea from the woman at the centre of a sensational starvation trial in a letter sent to state prosecutors with the woman’s parents remanded in custody after being found guilty of starving their daughter throughout her childhood and whose identity is protected by a court order – did not want her parents to go to prison and But a jury decided otherwise, last week finding them both guilty of not just starving the girl – leading to a dangerous level of malnutrition – but also of emotional abuse due to their treatment of her as if she were a small child The case, which was first reported exclusively by WAtoday last year a “complex” psychological behaviour that is often rooted in the parents’ own emotional needs according to Perth clinical psychologist Donna Stambulich “Common drivers include fear of abandonment and difficulty accepting the natural progression of child development,” Stambulich said narcissistic personality traits may lead parents to view their children as extensions of themselves rather than independent individuals.” The parents will be sentenced over the offences early next year after dance teachers raised the alarm over the health of their homeschooled daughter who has held management-level positions in several Perth companies He became the breadwinner of the family when his daughter was born and his wife gave up her career to be the girl’s full-time carer The family moved to the wealthy Perth suburb of Floreat five years ago and purchased a four-bedroom house for almost $2 million Department of Communities staff told the court that when they visited the home to check on the girl it looked “cluttered” and cockroaches were seen scuttling out of the front door where they stood speaking to the father The father refused to allow them inside and the court was told the house was filthy and unhygienic with piles of used sanitary towels sitting in corners the father tried to convince the jury he suffered from obsessive-compulsive disorder and the girl’s grandfather wanted to pay for her to attend a prestigious girls’ school which commands fees of up to $28,000 a year The mother’s relationship with the girl’s grandfather was rocky She claimed he was abusive to her when she was a child and would not allow him to be left alone with her daughter the girl was later placed in his care by the Department of Communities when she returned home to live with her parents The mother also testified that she had little to do with her siblings and claimed her daughter was hospitalised in part because her sister and their father had both spoken to the department about the girl’s emaciated appearance When the mother’s sister raised those concerns with her The girl was also, for some time after her parents were arrested, placed into the care of her uncle, who soon after relinquished that care because of the parents’ “ongoing involvement” it was also mentioned that the girl was unable to do much for herself and needed constant care and help with day-to-day activities such as washing and taking care of her hygiene Prosecutors said that after the woman’s own mother died she isolated herself and her daughter from the rest of the family None of her family came to court throughout the four-week trial One element of the case that was kept from the jury was the suggestion the girl was wearing nappies as a teenager Both the prosecution and defence agreed to withhold the information but some witnesses almost blurted it out on a number of occasions The jury was also not allowed to hear why the girl herself did not enter the courtroom to give evidence the girl’s mother’s lawyer called her as a witness to tell her side of the story The girl was hospitalised after the Department of Communities investigated concerns from a dance studio but she did not make it into the courtroom The jury was told the girl had “changed her mind” After coming to court with a “support person”, the 20-year-old had a panic attack and could not give evidence. Black confronted the mother’s lawyer Michael Perella asking whether he had ensured the girl received her own legal advice before coming to court He replied that he had only recommended she did Black asked Perella whether the girl was told what to wear for the occasion by her mother and noted she was wearing a “relatively child-like dress” and ballet flats and attempted to apply to have the trial aborted because of the turn of events Black blasted the lawyer for suggesting such a vulnerable person be brought to court in the first place “If she was shocked that her daughter was in floods of tears [the mother] must not know her daughter very well at all,” the judge said She refused to allow the trial to be vacated The impacts of infantilisation “can be profound and far-reaching” children may experience delayed emotional development and significant difficulties in peer relationships,” she said “They often struggle with basic decision-making skills and age-appropriate social interactions “The long-term consequences can be even more severe and significant challenges in managing adult responsibilities “Many adults who experienced infantilisation struggle with boundary-setting and may have difficulty establishing their own independent identity.” The trial itself may have been arduous for the jury who were initially told it would be finished in seven days Instead, it dragged on for weeks, in part due to attempts by the mother to have the trial thrown out twice – midway through proceedings the court was told the woman was too unwell to attend and listen to the evidence but Black insisted she return and could keep a sick bag at her side in case she needed it They couple sat side by side for four weeks but did not appear to communicate once As the jury read out their guilty verdicts even after being asked to stop by the judge because of the noise Their relationship had been examined throughout the trial, with accusations of manipulation, control and verbal abuse from the husband to the wife But it was accepted throughout the trial that both parents loved their daughter very much Stambulich said parents who infantilised their children often had limited insight into their behaviour and its impact “They typically rationalise their actions as necessary protection or expressions of love and care,” she said “These parents may minimise or completely deny any harmful effects of their parenting style viewing their actions as beneficial rather than potentially damaging to their child’s development.” The mother told the jury her daughter would always be her little girl She had made sure of that by limiting her ability to grow in height and mature like a girl of her age should have and limiting her ability to mix with other girls her age to develop age-appropriate interests and have any level of independence When the father of the girl was presented with photos of her looking small, frail, sick and severely underweight, he told the prosecutor she was thin but not overly so “Do you have problems with your eyesight?” he was asked Knowing that they were neglecting and damaging their daughter was at the heart of ensuring there was a guilty plea state prosecutor Jehna Winter told the court ability to comprehend when someone looks healthy and well and their choice to ignore repeated concerns were what led to them being charged and ultimately convicted The pair will be sentenced in January and face a maximum penalty of 20 years each Start the day with a summary of the day’s most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter \\u201CPlease can you drop the charges against my mum and dad so that I can keep living with my cat brothers and sisters?\\u201D with the woman\\u2019s parents remanded in custody after being found guilty of starving their daughter throughout her childhood and whose identity is protected by a court order \\u2013 did not want her parents to go to prison and of not just starving the girl \\u2013 leading to a dangerous level of malnutrition \\u2013 but also of emotional abuse a \\u201Ccomplex\\u201D psychological behaviour that is often rooted in the parents\\u2019 own emotional needs \\u201CCommon drivers include fear of abandonment anxiety about their child\\u2019s independence and difficulty accepting the natural progression of child development,\\u201D Stambulich said narcissistic personality traits may lead parents to view their children as extensions of themselves rather than independent individuals.\\u201D He became the breadwinner of the family when his daughter was born and his wife gave up her career to be the girl\\u2019s full-time carer it looked \\u201Ccluttered\\u201D and cockroaches were seen scuttling out of the front door where they stood speaking to the father and the girl\\u2019s grandfather wanted to pay for her to attend a prestigious girls\\u2019 school which commands fees of up to $28,000 a year The mother\\u2019s relationship with the girl\\u2019s grandfather was rocky and claimed her daughter was hospitalised in part because her sister and their father had both spoken to the department about the girl\\u2019s emaciated appearance When the mother\\u2019s sister raised those concerns with her who soon after relinquished that care because of the parents\\u2019 \\u201Congoing involvement\\u201D Prosecutors said that after the woman\\u2019s own mother died the girl\\u2019s mother\\u2019s lawyer called her as a witness to tell her side of the story The jury was told the girl had \\u201Cchanged her mind\\u201D After coming to court with a \\u201Csupport person\\u201D Black confronted the mother\\u2019s lawyer Michael Perella and noted she was wearing a \\u201Crelatively child-like dress\\u201D and ballet flats \\u201CIf she was shocked that her daughter was in floods of tears [the mother] must not know her daughter very well at all,\\u201D the judge said The impacts of infantilisation \\u201Ccan be profound and far-reaching\\u201D and significant difficulties in peer relationships,\\u201D she said \\u201CThey often struggle with basic decision-making skills and age-appropriate social interactions \\u201CThe long-term consequences can be even more severe \\u201CMany adults who experienced infantilisation struggle with boundary-setting and may have difficulty establishing their own independent identity.\\u201D Their relationship abuse from the husband to the wife \\u201CThey typically rationalise their actions as necessary protection or expressions of love and care,\\u201D she said viewing their actions as beneficial rather than potentially damaging to their child\\u2019s development.\\u201D When the father of the girl was presented with photos of her looking small \\u201CDo you have problems with your eyesight?\\u201D he was asked Start the day with a summary of the day\\u2019s most important and interesting stories Shaping the next generation of global leaders The University of Western Australia has signed a landmark agreement with the State Government and CSIRO that will develop a 10ha site in Floreat into a biomedical research and industry precinct UWA Vice-Chancellor Professor Amit Chakma said the hub aimed to attract world-class researchers linking industry with academics and research innovation “We actually have the elements of what it takes to translate knowledge from laboratory side to practical side,” Professor Chakma said “We just need to do it bigger and better and this partnership opens the door for us to take the next step.” The memorandum of understanding signed between the State Government CSIRO and UWA will see the agencies plan what areas need refurbishment and what extra facilities and equipment would be needed UWA spinout company OncoRes Medical's chief executive officer Dr Katharine Giles said the site could allow for greater manufacturing of technology such as her firm’s medical imaging techniques which help surgeons combat cancer more effectively OncoRes Medical's Dr Katharine Giles and Orthocell’s Alex McHenry “A biomedical precinct will enable companies like ours to collaborate even more and establish firmer foundations to innovate develop and manufacture our devices and export to the world from Western Australia,” she said “It’s fantastic to have access to a site like this retain our best and brightness and attract talent from all around the world.” Fellow UWA spinout Orthocell Ltd’s chief operating officer Alex McHenry said the space could provide opportunities for start-ups and small businesses to grow and develop in WA rather than moving over east “Orthocell Ltd is actually a great example It was born from a successful collaboration between UWA and is now manufacturing medical devices globally,” he said it’s actually garnered a lot of interest for its nerve repair device manufactured here in the State and is now used by over 150 surgeons across Australia to reconstruct peripheral nerves — that’s regaining function in paralysed limbs “We’re actively now preparing for that product to be launched into the US market and many more and it means necessity in infrastructure and facilities like this.” 35 Stirling HighwayPerth WA 6009 Australia (+61 8) 6488 6000 Emergency(+61 8) 6488 2222 The University of Western Australia acknowledges that its campus is situated on Noongar land and that Noongar people remain the spiritual and cultural custodians of their land Indigenous commitment Since the summer time loss in Opening Round to GWS Collingwood has had an encouraging start to the season the most impressive being last week’s authoritative victory over Sydney in Gather Round where Ned Long emerged as a potential midfield weapon have begun their Premiership defence undefeated and sit atop the AFL ladder with a 5-0 record In fact they’re on a ten-game winning streak their previous loss coming in R24 last year to yes Yet the Lions haven’t been overly convincing this year having to overcome half time deficits in four of those wins Are they just building themselves up for bigger and better things later in the season or are there chinks in their armour Collingwood immediately travelled north for the second leg of their two-week road trip This was the seventh edition of the now traditional Thursday night clash before Easter with the Lions holding a 4-2 win-loss record have won their last three encounters overall welcomed back De Goey after a week out with ankle and achilles soreness and brought in Cox for ruck support at the expense of Membrey and Sullivan who were being “managed” made two changes and brought in a debutant – Marshall the Pies are playing their sixth consecutive game against a 2024 finalist I then caught the Airtrain to the city before walking to the ground I stopped in at the Morrison Hotel for a refreshing ale and some fish and chips swapping stories with punters festooned in all their black and white regalia I surfed down Stanley Street in a sea of supporters swarming to the Gabba on this gloriously balmy Queensland evening Eventually I found my seat behind the western end goals and waited in nervous anticipation for the game to unfold in front of 34,802 fans McStay imposes himself early and soon has two goals from set shots the second after a brilliant piece of play from the centre bounce – Cox to Naicos who flicks it to Pendles who returns the favour before Nick bursts clear and bombs it up to the forward line for McStay to take a fine two-grabber Moore sets the tone by smashing the ball away in a marking contest The Pies are denying the Lions the corridor Pendles boots it to a pack where Mihocek snaps truly to the delight of the thousands of Collingwood fans in the crowd After Bailey gets done for running too far on the outer wing Lipinski passes it to Jaicos who is then awarded a monster 50m penalty after Bailey oversteps the mark Josh then waltzes through the 50m arc and bombs a sensational goal even though Brisbane have missed a number of set shots They look sharper and have more players making an impact Brisbane look their most dangerous when they surge from a counter attack their two goals coming from set shots to the Big O and Hipwood Darcy Cameron is having another very good game taking important marks and being in the right place at the right time The Daicos boys have been in everything and Lipinski has been busy while the old guard of Pendlebury and Sidebottom just keep on keeping on while winning his centre bounce clearances Dunkley and the Ashcroft boys are leading the way but Neale and McCluggage are finding it hard to get into the game and Cameron has hardly been sighted Elliott and C Cameron miss set shots before Rayner kicks truly after a chain of slow possession With “Sweet Caroline” ringing around the stadium After Hipwood misses a very gettable set shot the Lions are only 3 points down and it’s “game on” Josh sharks the ball off a pack in D50 and shoots the ball downfield Hill swoops onto it and sprints down the wing in a blistering burst of speed What follows is a frantic chain of Collingwood possession until McStay is crunched into the goalpost by Andrews He’s awarded a free and nonchalantly slots his third while a melee forms between Hill and Answerth and then a number of others join the fray clearly and vociferously expressing their disapproval I look around me and just smirk quietly in delight When Lipinski gets Bailey in a coat hanger tensions boil over and the crowd is at fever pitch all they get is a free kick and a missed shot at goal who kicks long to McStay who flicks it to Nick who then spots WHE with a superbly weighted kick Will coolly converts from a 60 degree angle What a magnificent way to silence the crowd It was then that I rose from my seat and roared my guts out After the Lions get one back from a Day mark and goal a relatively quieter passage of play ensues until Nick takes possession off hands in the backline who in turn flicks it to Long who dishes it to Dependlebury who finds McCreery 55m out on a 45 degree angle He then goes back and with everything he’s got Long barges his way through the pack and boots it forward creating another frenetic chain of Magpie possessions which finally lands in the hands of Crisp who shrewdly finds Long in space The Pies have met the inevitable challenge head on and then some we were all wondering the same thing – would Brisbane mount their familiar second-half comeback Brisbane finally decide to put a hard tag on Nick – Jarrod Berry – only for it to backfire as the Pies go after him and he soon gives away a free kick to JDG in the pocket he fails to convert his around-the-corner kick His kicking has so far let him down tonight After taking his second strong intercept mark this quarter Moore chooses the wrong option and kicks to a contest The ball’s turned over and it eventually ends up with the big O who kicks his second set shot goal for the game Collingwood withstands the heat for the next few minutes and then slowly but surely suck the life out of the Lions as they take complete control of the game That goal turns out to be Brisbane’s one and only scoring shot for the entire quarter Hill runs down Zorko on the outer wing sufficiently to force a grubber kick which lands with Mihocek who pumps it forward flicks it to McStay who in turns handballs it to Nick who puts on the jets and rams it home I jump 2 metres out of my seat in pure ecstasy The big Texan misses another sitter not long afterwards He seems to have lost his radar the last 12 months Elliott swoops onto it but unfortunately sprays it left But things turn for the better when IQ burns down the broadcast wing and pinpoints Elliott This time he makes no mistake and all the boys get around the 200 gamer Then Mihocek takes a mark and bangs one through post high from 50m Pies go coast to coast from Crisp to McStay but he can’t cap it off with an around-the-corner set shot when Elliott snaps his second just before the stroke of 3/4 time everyone else is getting a lick of the ice-cream Long seems to be getting better as the game wears on Moore goes off after a few minutes after copping a knee to the ear from Howe it later transpires that he’s passed the concussion protocol and is therefore OK to play on Anzac Day Brisbane take Ah Chee off for the debutant JDG is the recipient of a dubious free kick from Zorko and makes no mistake to put the game beyond any shadow of doubt Crisp takes possession in the backline and boots it to McCreery who dishes it off to Josh He passes to Elliott who handballs to JDG who pumps it forward where it spills straight into Hill’s hands who snaps truly on his right Zorko kicks poorly into a nest of Magpies and Pendlebury easily spots up JDG who coolly goes back and bangs his second Rayner gets a consolation free kick and kicks their 7th and last goal – all from set shots Hill puts the icing on the cake by dancing into an open goal for the Pies’ 16th They honour Elliot’s 200th game in a Royal Command Performance and have firmly put a stake in the ground stamping themselves as one of the Premiership contenders they had to console themselves with a couple of renditions of “Sweet Caroline” this would have to be one of the most gratifying of my 20 interstate trips that I’ve had the fortune to make I didn’t get much sleep that night but it was a very enjoyable Good Friday flight home 3 votes –       The Younger One (was at his blistering best) 2 votes –       The Older One (used the ball much better than he has this year Was involved in lots of key passages of play) 1 vote –        Steele (like a good bottle of red) To return to the www.footyalmanac.com.au  home page click HERE Become an Almanac (annual) member – CLICK HERE A dance school director has told a Perth court she raised concerns over the emaciated appearance of one of her students with the girl’s parents multiple times over a two-year period but they refused to get her medically assessed The parents, who cannot be identified to protect the identity of their daughter, are on trial in Perth’s District Court charged with having care or control of a child engaged in conduct that was reckless and may have resulted in that child suffering State prosecutors allege the Floreat couple did not give the girl adequate nutrition leading to dangerously low weight that impacted her growth and development pleaded guilty to forging a birth certificate listing his daughter’s age as two years younger than she was the jury heard evidence from ballet school director Tania Shillington who said she was told the girl was 11 years old when she was first enrolled at the Floreat centre Shillington said the girl was small and extremely thin but no real concerns were initially held for her wellbeing “From the day she first entered she was small but she would have been maybe 11 years of age and I didn’t think much of it because we had quite a difference in sizes of that age group,” she said a petite little body and very skinny arms.” Shillington – who is also a pediatric physiotherapist – noticed the girl had not grown or developed like other children of the same age She was also allegedly becoming “weaker” and less able to keep up with the rigours of a ballet training schedule “Her head was out of proportion to the rest of her body,” Shillington said like rabbit’s fur on the back of her neck and her hair looked very brittle she would come in with a very orange ring around her mouth and once she vomited in a class [the mother] was trying to get her back into the class but [the girl] and [the mother] were trying to push that she continue the lesson.” Shillington told the court she approached the girl’s mother “four or five times” more about her concerns raising potential stress fractures and the girl’s ability to complete more advanced ballet choreography She claimed she was “brushed off” by the mother who allegedly told her the girl was fine and even pushed for her to be enrolled in more classes and competitions The mother also allegedly told Shillington her daughter had been born premature but on the first day of the trial prosecutor Jehna Winter told the jury that was not true Shillington claimed she received an angry phone call from the father who allegedly told her to stop “harassing” his wife and daughter about the girl’s weight He allegedly said the girl felt singled out The girl’s parents outside court this week.Credit: 9News Perth the dance school director said she was being approached by dance judges other teachers and parents at the school about the girl’s concerning appearance so she sent the family an email stating that she would not allow the girl to continue lessons until she had seen a medical professional for an assessment and a dietitian The jury was shown an email response from the father who told Shillington his daughter was being discriminated against because she was vegan and skinny Shillington then contacted colleagues at Perth Children’s Hospital asking them for advice on how to proceed with her concerns and was then directed to the hospital’s child protection which contacted the Department of Communities Winter told the jury the girl’s parents did not seek any medical attention care or treatment for more than five years before she was hospitalised and put on a nasal feeding tube in April 2021 They were arrested and charged shortly after. The court was told concerns were not just raised in relation to the child’s dangerously low weight The court was previously told the girl was an only child and homeschooled and had little interaction with people outside of her immediate family The court heard the girl dressed like an eight-year-old had an interest in kids’ shows such as Bluey and Thomas the Tank Engine She liked to play with children much younger than herself and the court was told she had no understanding of puberty and no body consciousness of other children the same age Start the day with a summary of the day’s most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter A dance school director has told a Perth court she raised concerns over the emaciated appearance of one of her students with the girl\\u2019s parents multiple times over a two-year period who cannot be identified to protect the identity of their daughter engaged in conduct that was reckless and may have resulted in that child suffering pleaded guilty to forging a birth certificate listing his daughter\\u2019s age as two years younger than she was \\u201CFrom the day she first entered she was small but she would have been maybe 11 years of age and I didn\\u2019t think much of it because we had quite a difference in sizes of that age group,\\u201D she said \\u201CBut she always had quite a large head a petite little body and very skinny arms.\\u201D Shillington \\u2013 who is also a pediatric physiotherapist \\u2013 noticed the girl had not grown or developed like other children of the same age She was also allegedly becoming \\u201Cweaker\\u201D and less able to keep up with the rigours of a ballet training schedule \\u201CHer head was out of proportion to the rest of her body,\\u201D Shillington said like rabbit\\u2019s fur on the back of her neck and her hair looked very brittle \\u2018No she needs to seek medical attention\\u2019 \\u2018I\\u2019m taking my daughter\\u2019 but [the girl] and [the mother] were trying to push that she continue the lesson.\\u201D Shillington told the court she approached the girl\\u2019s mother \\u201Cfour or five times\\u201D more about her concerns raising potential stress fractures and the girl\\u2019s ability to complete more advanced ballet choreography She claimed she was \\u201Cbrushed off\\u201D by the mother who allegedly told her to stop \\u201Charassing\\u201D his wife and daughter about the girl\\u2019s weight other teachers and parents at the school about the girl\\u2019s concerning appearance Shillington then contacted colleagues at Perth Children\\u2019s Hospital asking them for advice on how to proceed with her concerns and was then directed to the hospital\\u2019s child protection Winter told the jury the girl\\u2019s parents did not seek any medical attention The court was told concerns were not just raised in relation to the child\\u2019s dangerously low weight had an interest in kids\\u2019 shows such as Bluey and Thomas the Tank Engine it feels like it’s only recently (at least relatively speaking) in Perth’s architectural history that we’ve truly synergised our indoor and outdoor spaces The original layout of this Floreat home placed the kitchen at its centre, disjointing its living spaces and creating a disconnect from the huge garden… Until Perth architectural firm Robeson was brought on for a substantial renovation and addition You’ll be able to get an up close and personal look through the home at this year’s Open House Perth 2024 and offering a backstage pass to Perth’s most interesting design destinations Part of a global network of Open House events the first Open House Perth was held in 2012 – and since then has welcomed over 400,000 design lovers to hundreds of architectural spaces normally hidden from the public And with a backyard like this, who wouldn’t want to live amongst it? Landscape architect Tristan Peirce created an outdoor space as lush as it is manicured with a stunning raised pool area surrounded by a “moat” of vegetation and boulders from WA’s South West dining and kitchen was created by demolishing the original kitchen – opening up the home to both the front and back gardens and extending the living room into the backyard the additional structure also houses a new primary bedroom suite that looks out to the green canopy of the garden Four metre high ceilings and wall-to-wall glass means that the living room is surrounded almost entirely by lush garden greenery – while two floating roofs not only mimic many of the mid-century homes seen in the area but provide a functional benefit: with one providing protection to the upper windows and the lower creating the alfresco area (complete with firepit and BBQ) As well as demolishing the previous kitchen the existing laundry was transformed into a scullery for the sleek new kitchen – accessed via a hidden door amongst the cabinetry Want to see more? You can tour this home and many others as part of Open House Perth – check out the full program at the Open House Perth website A wealthy Floreat couple have gone on trial over accusations they starved their teenage daughter who cannot be named to protect the identity of their child pleaded not guilty to having care or control of a child engaged in conduct that was reckless and may have resulted in that child suffering Perth Children’s Hospital.Credit: Getty Images The father pleaded guilty to uttering a forged record state prosecutor Jehna Winter told Perth District Court the girl had limited contact with people outside her immediate family and her parents allegedly did not believe she had any health issues or required any medical treatment had the appearance of an 11-year-old and suffered from hair loss and extremely low body weight The intervention of two dance instructors drew the attention of the Department of Communities which pressured the parents to get the child medically assessed But Winter alleged the parents ignored the doctors’ advice and denied the child had any nutritional deficiencies “On each occasion [the mother] repeatedly dismissed concerns and said [the daughter] ate a healthy vegan diet and had no problems,” the court was told “[The mother] repeatedly said there was nothing wrong with her and said she was a premature baby had a history of small stature in the family and said her orange and sallow skin was due to eating too many carrots It would have been apparent to anyone who saw her that there was something seriously wrong with her and it would have been apparent to her parents.” The jury was shown a photo of the girl five weeks before she was admitted to hospital she was a few months shy of turning 17 years old but had the gaunt appearance of a young child care or treatment for over five years before she was hospitalised and put on a nasal feeding tube in April 2021 As exclusively reported in WAtoday last year, they were arrested and charged shortly after. but also in her small child-like appearance had an interest in young child-like shows such as Bluey She liked to play with children much younger than herself and the court was told she had no understanding of puberty and no body consciousness of other children the same age Winter told the jury the parents allegedly lied about their daughter’s age telling two dance studios she was two years younger than she was the parents allegedly provided a false birth certificate When one dance school refused to allow the girl to compete and take extra classes because they were so concerned about her health and wellbeing But that dance school also raised concerns The girl’s parents allegedly responded by saying she was being discriminated against because she was “vegan and skinny” When a child safety team conducted an investigation into the girl the child’s father said it was “absolutely ridiculous and frivolous” and said he could not take his daughter to a GP because she had a phobia and fear and doctors But they later relented after being pressured to do so by authorities a GP described her as “severely underweight” The court was told the doctor wanted to give the girl an ECG as her heart rate was elevated but her parents allegedly refused to give consent Winter told the court the doctor held “grave concerns” and urged the parents to take their daughter to the emergency department at Perth Children’s Hospital “[The mother] became very distressed and said they could not do that because they were still upset about the death of their 22-year-old cat,” Winter said which led to the girl being placed under the care of the Department of Communities with doctors finding no known reason for her malnutrition she gained 7 kilograms and grew 3 centimetres Winter told the court contact between the parents and their daughter had to be restricted because of unusual behaviour from the parents including their claims that the hospital was “killing kids” and negative comments about the food she was provided The parents also allegedly said the gastric nasal feeding tube was turning their daughter “into a junkie” The court was told hospital staff also noted concerning interactions between the girl and her parents such as them helping her brush her teeth and hair and the mother allegedly wiping her genitals after she had been to the bathroom They also encouraged her to watch shows such as The Wiggles and Frozen and when the girl celebrated her 17th birthday in hospital But lawyers for the parents argued the girl was a fussy eater and that she suffered from obsessive-compulsive disorder which would lead to excessive periods of trampolining and anxiety told the jury his client watched her daughter eat regularly and that she would also consume supplements and vitamins He also said the girl had a phobia of germs and that blood tests taken at Perth Children’s Hospital showed there were “no serious problems” with the girl’s health In relation to her behaviour at the hospital Perrella said the hospital stay was “traumatising” for the mother and child But Winter alleged the parents ignored the doctors\\u2019 advice and denied the child had any nutritional deficiencies \\u201COn each occasion [the mother] repeatedly dismissed concerns and said [the daughter] ate a healthy vegan diet and had no problems,\\u201D the court was told \\u201C[The mother] repeatedly said there was nothing wrong with her and said she was a premature baby \\u201CHer severe malnourishment was obvious and it would have been apparent to her parents.\\u201D Winter told the jury the parents allegedly lied about their daughter\\u2019s age The girl\\u2019s parents allegedly responded by saying she was being discriminated against because she was \\u201Cvegan and skinny\\u201D the child\\u2019s father said it was \\u201Cabsolutely ridiculous and frivolous\\u201D and said he could not take his daughter to a GP because she had a phobia and fear and doctors a GP described her as \\u201Cseverely underweight\\u201D Winter told the court the doctor held \\u201Cgrave concerns\\u201D and urged the parents to take their daughter to the emergency department at Perth Children\\u2019s Hospital \\u201C[The mother] became very distressed and said they could not do that because they were still upset about the death of their 22-year-old cat,\\u201D Winter said including their claims that the hospital was \\u201Ckilling kids\\u201D The parents also allegedly said the gastric nasal feeding tube was turning their daughter \\u201Cinto a junkie\\u201D He also said the girl had a phobia of germs and that blood tests taken at Perth Children\\u2019s Hospital showed there were \\u201Cno serious problems\\u201D with the girl\\u2019s health Perrella said the hospital stay was \\u201Ctraumatising\\u201D for the mother and child We make no secret of our admiration for celebrated Perth architect Iwan Iwanoff and the remarkable impact the Bulgarian-born innovator had on the city’s architectural landscape we’ve got a pep in our step knowing that his own rather stunning Floreat studio and home is now officially on the State Register of Heritage Places “Iwanoff House is a significant addition to our State heritage register reflecting a unique chapter in architectural heritage for Western Australia and one of the few distinctive homes designed by Iwan Iwanoff,” said Heritage Minister David Templeman “This house demonstrates Iwanoff’s visionary design principles highlights the creative contributions of an innovative architect and tells the broader story of how post-war migrants helped shape the cultural and social fabric of our State.” “By including Iwanoff House on the State Register we are ensuring the protection of this house and preserving its story for future generations to appreciate and draw inspiration from.” Located on Lifford Way and built in 1967, the home was last sold in 2022 utilising his signature decorative cast concrete across the exterior and with a timelessly appealing mid-century interior – and a passive solar design that was ahead of its time “The place has historic value for its association with prominent architect, Iwan Iwanoff who was influential in Western Australian practice for his non traditional approach to design and materials drawn from European trends,” reads the State Heritage listing. “Many of the Iwanoff residences designed in the 1960s and 1970s were in the new northern suburbs of Perth where there was often minimal surrounding development and often a clientele willing to explore new styles and techniques.” “The place has historic value for its association with the early 1970s which was characterised as a period of affluence which was teamed with a willingness to experiment with new styles and materials.” “In 1963-86 his small office produced work of high quality He also designed shop fronts and interiors in central Perth the civic administration centre and public library at Northam (1969-74) His creative use of concrete blocks is a noted feature of his work.” Image credits: Crib Creative / ZSA ZSA Property Watch 5m Ariel Bombara has supported the recommendations of an inquiry into the police response to the concerns she raised about her father before he killed two women. 5 May 2025Floreat suburb profile: What are its unique selling points and is it a good place to live?Main Image: Floreat suburb profile Credit: supplied Floreat residents are well connected and surrounded by nature with access to fantastic amenities and premium educational opportunities One of Perth’s highly desirable western suburbs Floreat is known for its tree-lined streets lush parks and a strong sense of community Beyond the suburb’s natural beauty is a relaxed and family-friendly lifestyle Floreat is a place where residents can enjoy the best of both worlds With Perth’s CBD only a 15-minute drive away locals can exploit the city’s employment and entertainment opportunities And just five minutes to the west are City and Floreat beaches Floreat has a big number of sporting facilities including the WA Athletics Stadium and the Bendat Basketball Centre Both are state-of-the-art venues that replaced Perry Lakes Stadium and the Perry Lakes Basketball Stadium Pictured - Floreat Beach Credit: Daniel Wilkins/The West AustralianFor those interested in getting outdoors without breaking a sweat Perry Lakes Reserve is a remarkable green space with picnic and barbecue facilities next to playgrounds The A-class reserve is a vital habitat for wildlife including the popular Lower Camel Lake Heritage Trail which allows locals and visitors to immerse themselves in the suburb’s natural beauty Ray White sales executive Helen Hemery said Floreat’s natural charms and open spaces set it apart from neighbouring suburbs attracting “street activity” that brought vibrancy and atmosphere Floreat is home to the Town of Cambridge administration centre Pictured - Perry Lakes Reserve Credit: Daniel Wilkins/The West AustralianProperties in Floreat are known for their modern architecture Mrs Hemery said the suburb had some of Perth’s best mid-century properties designed by renowned architects including Iwan Iwanoff Geoffrey Summerhayes and Marshall Waller Clifton Floreat Forum Shopping Centre features a variety of cafes and one of its standout attractions is The Floreat Hotel a pub and bistro known for its relaxed atmosphere and hearty meals In addition to its dining and shopping options Floreat Forum also houses a medical centre and post office The area’s schools include Floreat Park primary Houses on Tumut Road near the corner of Oceanic Drive Credit: Ian Munro/The West AustralianAnother attraction for big families is that 56 per cent of dwellings have four or more bedrooms About 83 per cent of houses are occupied by families The front yards of Floreat homes often play a central role in neighbourhood activities with Christmas events and Halloween hijinks particularly popular It comes as no surprise that stand-alone homes dominate the suburb’s stock at 89.9 per cent Apartments make up 7.5 per cent of dwellings and townhouses 2.7 per cent Pictured - Floreat Beach Credit: Daniel Wilkins/The West AustralianGet the latest news delivered to your inbox.Sign up for our emails Credit: 7NEWSThe internal investigation into how police handled the lead-up to Mark Bombara’s double murder in Floreat largely clears the force of wrongdoing but finds one officer was dismissive and condescending towards the killer’s daughter and another back-filled notes about her warnings It also examines allegations officers were over-friendly with Bombara chatting with him about firearms and ballistics when they were at the family’s home protecting his ex-wife and daughter as they moved items from the house That familiarity will likely raise eyebrows but police familiar with the inquiry say the tactic calmed a tense situation which has strained relations between WA Police and the State’s corruption watchdog is almost finalised but it is possible it will be kept secret Get the first look at the digital newspaper curated daily stories and breaking headlines delivered to your inbox Get the NewsletterBy continuing you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy.Bombara shocked the nation in May when he shot dead Jennifer Petelczyc and her 18-year-old daughter The 63-year-old was hunting his estranged wife and daughter when he forced his way into the Petelczyc home killing the women before turning the Glock pistol on himself Floreat - Gretl Petelczyc and Jennifer Petelczyc pictured from 2016 Also pictured is husband Jon Petelczyc who sadly passed away in 2019 Credit: Facebook/SuppliedPolice were quickly put on the back foot by Ariel Bombara’s explosive claim that she had expressly warned officers her father was dangerous I spoke with police on three separate occasions to raise the alarm about my father,” Ms Bombara said in the aftermath of the tragedy and told them my mother and I felt there was a real and imminent threat to our lives “I specifically mentioned that there was a Glock handgun which was unaccounted for.” Her statement saw Police Commissioner Col Blanch order a review into what his troops had been told in the weeks leading up to the murders The Corruption and Crime Commission rebuffed police overtures to take ownership of the inquiry instead agreeing to “actively oversee” the investigation It is understood the CCC came close to taking over because police appeared reluctant to take any blame but a recent shift in attitude by senior officers has appeased the watchdog However, the report is set to castigate the officer who spoke to Ariel Bombara when she went to Mirrabooka Police Station weeks before the murders. Ms Bombara was so convinced she was not being taken seriously that night she stepped into another room at the complex and rang Perth Police Station for help. The police inquiry into what happened at Mirrabooka has backed some of Ms Bombara’s claims, finding the officer was dismissive and condescending. The inquiry is poised to make an adverse finding against another officer who retrospectively amended notes about what happened when the Bombara women approached police for help. Ariel Bombara says she spoke to police several times about her father's behaviour and weapons. Credit: ABC News: Phil Hemingway/TheWestThe report also probes the actions of police who escorted them to the family home in Mosman Park in April. “On April 2nd, my mother and I were given a police escort to our home to collect some belongings,” Ms Bomara said in her public statement. “This was the third occasion we warned police about my father’s guns. One officer said, ‘oh don’t worry, we know all about the guns’, and when he called for back-up, he warned his fellow officers to wear bullet-proof vests.” It is understood internal investigators have looked into allegations that the attending officers were overly friendly with Mark Bombara, chatting to the gun collector about their own firearms and ammunition while his wife and daughter hurriedly grabbed personal items from their bedrooms. The interaction has the potential to look bad for police but one officer familiar with the inquiry told The Nightly that engaging a potentially erratic person that way was a sound tactic. Making Bombara feel comfortable took the temperature in the house down and allowed officers to glean information about the status of his firearm collection, including the whereabouts of a Glock Ms Bombara claimed was missing, the officer said. Mark James Bombara pictured with his ex-wife Rowena. Unknown Credit: Unknown/SuppliedMany rank-and-file police are hoping the final report contextualises the Bombara tragedy by detailing the intimidating scale of the domestic violence scourge officers deal with every day. “It’s important that people understand that the officers who dealt with Ariel’s complaints over that period were also dealing with God-knows how many other similar matters,” one veteran officer told The Nightly. “And if the hierarchy is serious about getting to the bottom of what went wrong it needs to ensure the investigation doesn’t start and stop at the front desk of the Mirrabooka police station. “Investigating domestic violence is one of the most time-consuming parts of policing. Getting the trust of a complainant can take a long time, and quite often the complaint is withdrawn at the last minute. “That’s a huge number of hours of police work that goes up in smoke, and the officers in charge of stations know that taking on extra DV inquiries will affect clearance rates in other areas. “Clearance rates are a critical KPI for senior staff. They are under constant pressure to hit targets. “Even if we do manage to get a decent (DV) case to court we often see the number of charges reduced dramatically. We will often see a man who breaches a violence restraining order 50 times by sending 50 text messages have his charges downgraded from 50 to one for ease of administration in the courts.” Flowers and other tributes adorn the front lawn of the home of Jennifer and Gretl Petelczyc in Floreat. Credit: Justin Benson-Cooper/The West AustralianCCC Commissioner John McKechnie in June told Liberal Leader Libby Mettam that the internal report might show “some defect in police systems and policies”. “The police investigation which the commission will actively oversee may show mistakes were made or there was some neglect of duty,” Mr McKechnie said. “But our Western Australian community must reflect and answer uncomfortable questions about its values which allow domestic violence to continue. “There is only one certainty. Until the community has fully engaged with the issue, and there is active change, more women and children will be murdered.” The WA Parliament was told on Tuesday that Mr Blanch was prepared to release the internal report publicly but only if all parties were happy for that to happen. When answering a question on behalf of WA Police Minister Paul Papalia, Labor MP Stephen Dawson said police would make the decision after talking to Ariel and her mother, as well as Liesl Petelczyc, who is the surviving daughter of Bombara’s victim Jennifer Petelczyc. Mr Dawson said Mr Blanch also had to ensure the release of the report did not interfere with any actions by the CCC, the State Coroner and the WA Ombudsman. Latest EditionEdition Edition 5 May 20255 May 2025All-powerful Anthony Albanese says give me some R.E.S.P.E.C.T Seats to watch: Ultimate Federal election day guideFederal election 20256 Min Read03 May 2025Sign up to The Nightly's newsletters This is probably not the page you’re looking for A Floreat couple who infantalised their ballerina daughter and starved her to the point of hospitalisation concocting a cascading series of lies to pacify the increasing concerns of those in their daughter’s orbit The now 20-year-old young woman at the centre of the case wept in the back of the courtroom as District Court Judge Linda Black sentenced the pair — who cannot be named for legal reasons — over gross negligence she said constituted “wilful blindness of the most extreme kind” The court was told the litany of lies began in 2019 when the pair lied about the girl’s age in what Black described as an attempt to hose down concerns that she said were becoming increasingly apparent The then-15-year-old was chronically malnourished a shrinking frame and child-like clothing that had rung alarm bells among her dance instructors But the matter escalated beyond conversations in the hallways of the ballet studio in 2020 when the Department of Communities began fielding complaints which led to the parents being charged The court was told the girl — who had been homeschooled and had limited social interactions beyond dance classes — was admitted to hospital for almost two months at the age of 16 Black told the court the pair were committed to the deception continuing to lie about their daughter’s age by forging her birth certificate “You were thinking of yourself,” Black told the girl’s father “Your daughter was fading before your eyes — she was becoming weak she was exhibiting signs of severe malnutrition and her life was in danger but you chose to continue to lie about her age “But the strongest emotions the two of you expressed were not about your emaciated daughter but the people who brought the reality to your attention Doctor’s notes tendered in court recited staff hearing her father claim the girl was at risk of becoming “a junkie” for using the nasogastric tube and that authorities were conspiring against them Others described witnessing the teenager watching The Wiggles and Thomas the Tank Engine sitting on her mother’s lap and letting her mother assist her to go to the toilet The court was also shown photographs the judge said demonstrated the family’s Floreat home was devoid of anything age-appropriate The girl was placed into a foster care arrangement with family members but returned to the multimillion-dollar family home on her 18th birthday The girl’s father wiped away a tear as Black read a letter their daughter had penned in her parents’ defence maintaining she was solely responsible for her eating habits and pleading with the prosecution to drop the case because she was completely financially dependent on her parents Both parents had vehemently denied the offending pinning the blame on each of their medically diagnosed obsessive-compulsive disorders which they claimed impacted their judgment telling the pair she simply could not accept that they did not see that their daughter was “skin and bone” The couple — both aged 48 — have been behind bars since November after the jury took just four hours to find them guilty of engaging in reckless conduct while caring for a child Black said the pair both lacked credibility as witnesses endeavoured to avoid the obvious truth and had shown no remorse — including for exposing their daughter’s private life to the world The judge also lambasted the state’s education department for what she described as a “dismal failure” to ensure the homeschooled child was being adequately monitored The girl’s mother was sentenced to five years’ jail and her father 6½ Black said she considered the recklessness of the offending the period of time the pair engaged in the conduct the seriousness of the harm caused and the contempt they had for those trying to help it is so difficult to know the sentencing exercise will not provide closure or peace but will further exacerbate the suffering by your daughter,” she told the court “I’m sorry I cannot impose a sentence that will bring comfort to your victim.” concocting a cascading series of lies to pacify the increasing concerns of those in their daughter\\u2019s orbit The now 20-year-old young woman at the centre of the case wept in the back of the courtroom as District Court Judge Linda Black sentenced the pair \\u2014 who cannot be named for legal reasons \\u2014 over gross negligence she said constituted \\u201Cwilful blindness of the most extreme kind\\u201D when the pair lied about the girl\\u2019s age in what Black described as an attempt to hose down concerns that she said were becoming increasingly apparent \\u201CA parent that was not neglectful would have taken their daughter to see a medical professional long before you did \\u2014it was apparent to everyone around her except the people who professed to love her and I simply cannot accept you didn\\u2019t see it,\\u201D Black said The court was told the girl \\u2014 who had been homeschooled and had limited social interactions beyond dance classes \\u2014 was admitted to hospital for almost two months at the age of 16 But despite the mounting evidence about the risk to their daughter\\u2019s health continuing to lie about their daughter\\u2019s age by forging her birth certificate \\u201CYou were thinking of yourself,\\u201D Black told the girl\\u2019s father \\u201CYour daughter was fading before your eyes \\u2014 she was becoming weak \\u201CBut the strongest emotions the two of you expressed were not about your emaciated daughter probably saved your daughter\\u2019s life.\\u201D Doctor\\u2019s notes tendered in court recited staff hearing her father claim the girl was at risk of becoming \\u201Ca junkie\\u201D for using the nasogastric tube and that authorities were conspiring against them sitting on her mother\\u2019s lap and letting her mother assist her to go to the toilet The court was also shown photographs the judge said demonstrated the family\\u2019s Floreat home was devoid of anything age-appropriate The girl\\u2019s father wiped away a tear as Black read a letter their daughter had penned in her parents\\u2019 defence The fact your daughter felt she could not survive without you is your fault,\\u201D she said \\u201CYou have created a child unable to function as an independent adult at more than 20 years of age means she cannot psychologically grasp the concept that the two people who loved her most were the same two people who neglected her.\\u201D telling the pair she simply could not accept that they did not see that their daughter was \\u201Cskin and bone\\u201D The couple \\u2014 both aged 48 \\u2014 have been behind bars since November after the jury took just four hours to find them guilty of engaging in reckless conduct while caring for a child endeavoured to avoid the obvious truth and had shown no remorse \\u2014 including for exposing their daughter\\u2019s private life to the world The judge also lambasted the state\\u2019s education department for what she described as a \\u201Cdismal failure\\u201D to ensure the homeschooled child was being adequately monitored The girl\\u2019s mother was sentenced to five years\\u2019 jail and her father 6\\u00BD but will further exacerbate the suffering by your daughter,\\u201D she told the court \\u201CI\\u2019m sorry I cannot impose a sentence that will bring comfort to your victim.\\u201D entertainment ideas and a long read to enjoy The girl at the centre of a sensational trial over her neglect has attended a Perth court in support of her parents writing a statement saying that she does not believe she has been offended against “in any way” a wealthy Floreat couple were found guilty of reckless conduct in relation to their daughter That conduct included allowing the girl to become dangerously underweight requiring her to be hospitalised and placed on a nasogastric feeding tube The bizarre case garnered much attention when the parents pleaded not guilty to the charges and the matter went to trial last year the court heard how the pair lied to dance school instructors about the girl’s age how she was dressed and treated like a pre-school child despite being 16 years old how she was homeschooled and isolated from other people and how her gaunt appearance and yellowing skin caused much concern for the few people who did come into contact with her who have been remanded in custody since the jury found them both guilty on all charges were due to be sentenced in Perth’s District Court but legal submissions in advance of the hearing ran over time delaying the outcome until Friday The court was told the couples’ daughter had submitted a “statement” to be considered by Judge Linda Black and the girl herself attended the hearing in person for the first time She had made a brief appearance at the court during the trial as she was called to give evidence but reneged after a panic attack Much was made at that time about her tiny stature and immature outfit but on Thursday the girl was dressed in skinny jeans and a shirt and stood smiling with her hair loose where lawyers for both sides discuss elements of the offending that they believe should be considered during sentencing Black later reprimanded the media for “chasing” the girl up the street with cameras trying to take her photo The girl also complained about media coverage of the case in her statement to the court claiming that she formerly “lived a quiet life like everyone else” but that now “this case will haunt me forever” She also told the court she blamed herself for the charges being brought against her parents But Black told her parents’ lawyers that while she would take the girl’s letter into consideration when handing down her sentence on Friday she would also be considering the possibility that the girl was unable to understand that she had been offended against due to her isolated childhood “The jury’s verdict meant that [the girl] had been infantilised and had been constrained in her appropriate social development and in those circumstances the evidence from trial means I must have regard to that when I consider her capacity to grasp what has happened to her in her early years,” she said Lawyer Oliver Paxman argued the girl was capable of understanding the situation as she had now been granted power of attorney over her parents’ estate while they were in prison and was still teaching piano Full details of the statement were not aired in court but Winter submitted a letter she had received from the girl last year in which she asked for the charges against her parents to be dropped “It is quite clear from the letters that she does not believe she has been offended against in any way,” Winter said “She does not blame her parents at all … she says she is not a victim of her parents.” It was also revealed on Thursday that both parents had been evaluated by a psychologist in the lead up to being sentenced this week The court was told that Dr Philip Watts had diagnosed the girl’s mother with obsessive-compulsive disorder and confirmed the father’s former diagnosis of OCD which their lawyers argued is what led to them neglecting their daughter When asked how OCD would impact the father’s ability to take his daughter to seek medical help in the face of pressure from multiple outside sources Paxman also told the court that OCD impacted the dad’s judgement because of his structured and rigid lifestyle “and the anxiety that comes with that” I don’t understand how OCD makes you disinclined to listen to medical advice,” Black asked That caused him a great deal of anxiety,” Paxman responded “I don’t see that an OCD person has a mental condition that impairs their ability to listen to sound advice from others,” Black later responded The mother’s lawyer also tried to persuade Black that his client’s “long term” and “severe” OCD was the reason of her offending He read from Dr Watts’ psychological report stating that “[the woman’s] mental illness whilst present from mid primary school through to adult life had a direct impact on the way she parented [her daughter].” if she had suffered with the condition for so long she had not sought treatment sooner and questioned the validity of the diagnosis given the psychological report was based on “self-reporting” by the woman and no formal testing I have doubts about the severity of the OCD such that it would be causatively connected to the offending that would reduce her moral culpability,” Black said also told the court the mother had struggled with being in prison and had self-harmed writing a statement saying that she does not believe she has been offended against \\u201Cin any way\\u201D the court heard how the pair lied to dance school instructors about the girl\\u2019s age were due to be sentenced in Perth\\u2019s District Court but legal submissions in advance of the hearing ran over time delaying the outcome until Friday The court was told the couples\\u2019 daughter had submitted a \\u201Cstatement\\u201D to be considered by Judge Linda Black and the girl herself attended the hearing in person for the first time Black later reprimanded the media for \\u201Cchasing\\u201D the girl up the street with cameras trying to take her photo claiming that she formerly \\u201Clived a quiet life like everyone else\\u201D but that now \\u201Cthis case will haunt me forever\\u201D But Black told her parents\\u2019 lawyers that while she would take the girl\\u2019s letter into consideration when handing down her sentence on Friday \\u201CThe jury\\u2019s verdict meant that [the girl] had been infantilised and had been constrained in her appropriate social development and in those circumstances the evidence from trial means I must have regard to that when I consider her capacity to grasp what has happened to her in her early years,\\u201D she said Lawyer Oliver Paxman argued the girl was capable of understanding the situation as she had now been granted power of attorney over her parents\\u2019 estate while they were in prison and was still teaching piano \\u201CIt is quite clear from the letters that she does not believe she has been offended against in any way,\\u201D Winter said \\u201CShe does not blame her parents at all \\u2026 she says she is not a victim of her parents.\\u201D The court was told that Dr Philip Watts had diagnosed the girl\\u2019s mother with obsessive-compulsive disorder and confirmed the father\\u2019s former diagnosis of OCD When asked how OCD would impact the father\\u2019s ability to take his daughter to seek medical help in the face of pressure from multiple outside sources his lawyer responded: \\u201Cgerms.\\u201D Paxman also told the court that OCD impacted the dad\\u2019s judgement because of his structured and rigid lifestyle \\u201Cand the anxiety that comes with that\\u201D I don\\u2019t understand how OCD makes you disinclined to listen to medical advice,\\u201D Black asked \\u201CPeople interfering with his routine That caused him a great deal of anxiety,\\u201D Paxman responded \\u201CI don\\u2019t see that an OCD person has a mental condition that impairs their ability to listen to sound advice from others,\\u201D Black later responded The mother\\u2019s lawyer also tried to persuade Black that his client\\u2019s \\u201Clong term\\u201D and \\u201Csevere\\u201D OCD was the reason of her offending He read from Dr Watts\\u2019 psychological report stating that \\u201C[the woman\\u2019s] mental illness had a direct impact on the way she parented [her daughter].\\u201D she had not sought treatment sooner and questioned the validity of the diagnosis given the psychological report was based on \\u201Cself-reporting\\u201D by the woman and no formal testing I have doubts about the severity of the OCD such that it would be causatively connected to the offending that would reduce her moral culpability,\\u201D Black said WA Police failed to take adequate actions to prevent the murder of a Floreat mother and daughter The inquiry was launched after Ariel Bombara the daughter of double murderer Mark Bombara accused WA police of ignoring the threats her father posed later shot and killed Jennifer Petelczyc and her 18-year-old daughter Gretl in May last year before turning the gun on himself He had been searching for his estranged wife and Ariel who had fled from their Mosman Park home in fear of him and had sought refuge with friends the Petelczycs Bombara legally owned multiple guns and retained them despite Ariel and her mother on three separate occasions between March 30 and April 2 warning police he was dangerous and may exact revenge on them for leaving WA’s Police Commissioner Col Blanch said the report found eight police officers had failed to perform their duties with “internal disciplinary action” already taken Blanch detailed that if a proper risk assessment had been completed “The expectation of those people who do find the courage to report [domestic violence] should be that police respond appropriately – each and every time,” he said Blanch acknowledged Ariel Bombara’s courage in speaking up “This was the perfect storm of apathy and compassion fatigue from officers outdated policies and insufficient training and support that resulted in a lethal outcome.” The report also found police took insufficient action to determine if Bombara was a “fit and proper person” to hold a firearm licence despite them being told of his deteriorating mental condition Blanch also said Bombara’s 13 weapons kept at his Mosman Park home should have been seized to ensure a tragedy such as this “never happened again” Ariel Bombara also addressed the press pack at WA police headquarters She said the report detailed her and her mother’s pleas that a serious threat to their lives was escalating “This report identifies all of the risk factors we communicated to the police; [Bombara’s] history of abuse access to and incorrect storage of firearms including concealable handguns; that he was escalating; that he’d had a recent stroke,” she said Ariel Bombara and her mother’s cries for help went ignored by WA police.Credit: 9News Perth “It baffles me that actual police officers but after receiving countless messages from women sharing their own stories of police not taking them seriously violent consequences for these women and children I’m not at all surprised that no action was taken against my father “I think this was the perfect storm of apathy and compassion fatigue from officers The Centre for Women’s Safety and Wellbeing said in a statement that while the report focused heavily on changes to the Firearms Act as a mechanism to address failings in the police response guns weren’t the only weapon of domestic abusers “We know that most domestic and family violence victims are killed from knife wounds and blunt force trauma and being beaten and choked to death,” the statement said “While we appreciate that the police have been prepared to shine a light on their failings and areas of weakness we are conscious that long-term change requires long-term commitment.” The centre said it was imperative that the community trust police to take domestic violence complaints seriously Blanch said the investigation resulted in 18 recommendations covering firearms reform and training in family and domestic violence offences which police were implementing alongside the government and specialists in the family violence support and services industry While a summary of the report has been made public the report in its entirety remains confidential as it contains sensitive and third-party information The report has been provided to the Corruption and Crime Commission the WA Ombudsman and the Deputy State Coroner Start the day with a summary of the day’s most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter. WA Police failed to take adequate actions to prevent the murder of a Floreat mother and daughter, an explosive new internal report reveals. The inquiry was launched after Ariel Bombara, the daughter of double murderer Mark Bombara, accused WA police of ignoring the threats her father posed. Bombara, 63, later shot and killed Jennifer Petelczyc and her 18-year-old daughter Gretl in May last year before turning the gun on himself. He had been searching for his estranged wife and Ariel, who had fled from their Mosman Park home in fear of him, and had sought refuge with friends the Petelczycs. Bombara legally owned multiple guns and retained them despite Ariel and her mother, on three separate occasions between March 30 and April 2, warning police he was dangerous and may exact revenge on them for leaving. At a press conference on Friday, WA\\u2019s Police Commissioner Col Blanch said the report found eight police officers had failed to perform their duties, with \\u201Cinternal disciplinary action\\u201D already taken. Moreover, Blanch detailed that if a proper risk assessment had been completed, and Bombara\\u2019s guns removed, the tragedy could have been prevented. \\u201CThe expectation of those people who do find the courage to report [domestic violence] should be that police respond appropriately \\u2013 each and every time,\\u201D he said. \\u201CWe have a duty to do that, we are sworn to do that, but sadly, sometimes we don\\u2019t get it right.\\u201D Blanch acknowledged Ariel Bombara\\u2019s courage in speaking up, prompting the internal investigation. \\u201CI\\u2019m the commissioner of police, I built the system, I authorised that system to be in place, [and] it let that family down. The report also found police took insufficient action to determine if Bombara was a \\u201Cfit and proper person\\u201D to hold a firearm licence, despite them being told of his deteriorating mental condition. Blanch also said Bombara\\u2019s 13 weapons kept at his Mosman Park home should have been seized. The report made 18 recommendations, Blanch said, to ensure a tragedy such as this \\u201Cnever happened again\\u201D. Ariel Bombara also addressed the press pack at WA police headquarters. She said the report detailed her and her mother\\u2019s pleas that a serious threat to their lives was escalating. \\u201CThis report identifies all of the risk factors we communicated to the police; [Bombara\\u2019s] history of abuse, access to and incorrect storage of firearms, including concealable handguns; that he was escalating; that he\\u2019d had a recent stroke,\\u201D she said. \\u201CWe told you he was going to murder us. Did you not believe us? Or did you not give a shit? \\u201CIt baffles me that actual police officers, whose job it is to protect people, did not take this risk seriously, but after receiving countless messages from women sharing their own stories of police not taking them seriously, resulting in real, violent consequences for these women and children, I\\u2019m not at all surprised that no action was taken against my father. \\u201CI think this was the perfect storm of apathy and compassion fatigue from officers, combined with shoddy systems, outdated policies and insufficient training and support that resulted in a lethal outcome.\\u201D The Centre for Women\\u2019s Safety and Wellbeing said in a statement that while the report focused heavily on changes to the Firearms Act as a mechanism to address failings in the police response, guns weren\\u2019t the only weapon of domestic abusers. \\u201CWe know that most domestic and family violence victims are killed from knife wounds and blunt force trauma, and being beaten and choked to death,\\u201D the statement said. \\u201CWhile we appreciate that the police have been prepared to shine a light on their failings and areas of weakness, we are conscious that long-term change requires long-term commitment.\\u201D The centre said it was imperative that the community trust police to take domestic violence complaints seriously. Blanch said the investigation resulted in 18 recommendations covering firearms reform and training in family and domestic violence offences, which police were implementing alongside the government and specialists in the family violence support and services industry. Eleven recommendations had been completed. While a summary of the report has been made public, the report in its entirety remains confidential as it contains sensitive and third-party information. The report has been provided to the Corruption and Crime Commission, the WA Ombudsman and the Deputy State Coroner. \\u201CThis was the perfect storm of apathy and compassion fatigue from officers, combined with shoddy systems, outdated policies and insufficient training and support that resulted in a lethal outcome.\\u201D Perth have continued their recent dominance in WA Premier Cricket, by claiming victory in the Male Premier T20 Final played on Sunday 21 December at the WACA Ground. After being sent into bat by their opponents University, Perth’s innings got off to a horror start, losing state-contracted opener Sam Fanning for just 1 in the early exchanges.  Perth’s in-form wicketkeeper batter Joel Curtis, who has been a mainstay in Western Australia’s Sheffield Shield team this summer, looked in ominous form early on, striking a couple of nice boundaries as he and Connor Blaxall Hill (36 off 27) made the most of the fielding restrictions. Middle-order cameos from young Perth batter Tyler Mouritz (36 off 15) and allrounders Jack Baker (24 off 11) and Waheguru Dillon (19 off 8) powered Perth in the second half of their innings, with the Demons closing out their 20 overs on 7-187. University skipper Will Bosisto (3-34 off four) finished as the pick of the bowlers for his side, while seamer Ethan Frankle (2-38 off four) also finished with multiple wickets. University’s powerful batting lineup then got to work, with opener Viv Paver (50 off 36) and Bosisto (87 off 57) putting their side in a strong position with an 84-run stand for the second wicket.  Blaxall-Hill (3-30) continued his fine allround performance to deliver the key wicket of Paver just as the game was getting away from Perth, before the offspinner followed up with the key breakthroughs of Chris Sabburg (2) and former English Test wicketkeeper James Bracey (1) in quick succession. Perth quick Josh Nicholas then delivered the knockout blow, dismissing Bosisto 13 runs short of his century to squash all hopes of a University victory. University finished on 5-173 after their 20 overs, with Perth’s bowling attack able to quell the momentum in the second half of the innings to earn a second straight T20 title. Blaxall-Hill was a deserved recipient of the Player of the Match Award, top-scoring for his side with 36 and taking three crucial wickets. Meanwhile, Subiaco-Floreat have ended Midland-Guildford’s run of Female A Grade titles, with a five-wicket victory. Midland-Guildford were in a commanding position after their batting innings, posting a very competitive 3-166 off their 20 overs, thanks to a wonderful unbeaten century from Naomi Dattani (103 off 61 balls). The Englishwoman produced a dominant innings, striking 16 boundaries and two sixes. State-contracted wicketkeeper batter Maddy Darke (77 off 44) then came out and produced a knock of equal significance, striking ten boundaries and a six of her own to give her side an opportunity to chase the 167-run target.  Contributions from Jacqueline Naidoo (28) and Megan McColl (23 off 15) dragged Subiaco -Floreat over the line, as they chased down the target during a tense final over. Despite her team being defeated, Dattani earned Player of the Match honours. Premier T20Perth 7/187 (Blaxall-Hill 36, Mouritz 36*, Bosisto 3/34) defeated University 5/173 (Bosisto 87, Paver 50, Blaxall-Hill 3/30) Female A Grade Midland-Guildford 3/166 (Dattani 103*, McColl 2/25) defeated by Subiaco-Floreat (Darke 77, Naidoo 28, Peschel 1/23) We don’t care if we’re a cliché at this point Located on Floreat’s leafy Clanmel Road (just around the corner from some of our favourites the home was originally built in the early ’60s – designed by renowned Western Australian architect Marshall Waller Clifton it was even featured in The West Australian in 1964 and Australian Home Beautiful in 1966 it was noted by writer Eric Wilson how the home’s form was influenced by Georgian architecture: “The house he designed splendidly captures the Georgian feeling with modern materials […] But in the process nothing of the Georgian character was sacrificed – outwardly posts and balcony take the familiar form.” the distinctively mid-century use of concrete and Besser bricks arguably overshadows the home’s Georgian influence – but given our obsession with mid-century homes Owned by the same family since it was originally built each detail has been lovingly preserved – from the timber beams and “spaghetti” acoustic ceiling panels to the louvered timber walls that separate the entry’s lounge from the living room (This lounge is also where you’ll spy the raised platform – currently utilised as a study nook it was originally designed as a music alcove for the family’s piano.) The open-plan living and dining room is really where mid-century enthusiasts will be in love who wouldn’t be in love after seeing that parquetry floor you can’t miss that stunning built-in timber sideboard – neatly enclosing a very cute hatch that connects to the adjoining kitchen While one of the home’s four bedrooms is on the ground floor the remaining three form the entirety of the upstairs level – and each opens directly onto the long balcony overlooking the established (Upstairs is also where you’ll find this perfectly pink bathroom we’re obsessed with the turmeric-toned tile paired with powder-blue pedestal sink… Literally a flawless colour combo if you ask us.) Check out the listing for 39 Clanmel Road here Image credits: Crib Creative in the lead up to this game there have been many articles and media time on the career of Scott Pendlebury His very considerable – and fair dinkum unique – abilities IS the greatest Collingwood player that I have known in my lifetime of watching this great game of ours and the greatest Club that plays it Some time back – probably 5 or 6 years ago (I couldn’t quickly locate the piece) – I wrote (paraphrased) in a Match Report: tell the kids of tomorrow that they saw Scott Pendlebury play – and those kids will be in awe!” particularly after beating the undermanned and out of depth and out of form Richmond last week by a measly 4 or 5 goals McCreery and McStay who had returned a week prior and a welcome chop-out for Cameron in the ruck who has been arguably (Naicos and Pendlebury aside) our best performer in the last 2 or 3 winter months The amount of injuries and forced team changes has been astounding – averaging over 4/week for the last couple of months – it must be a record I certainly cannot remember so many in so many weeks Emphatically eclipsing 2018 when we averaged well over two/week for the home and away which seemed massive then a win was a win and there were glimpses of some sort of form and system that we could hang our hat on form would suggest if you believed the hype They were looking good a month ago – one could tell if you were on the streets and suburbs of a cold wintery Melbourne by the preponderance of Carlton beanies and scarves worn by the followers of the evil empire a certain swagger and turn of phrase that lies just below the surface of the entitled folk even after over two decades of mediocrity… It’s in their DNA (to borrow a recent coaching term) their run of recent form – typical over the last couple of seasons – has yet again seen them wondering and doubting and the gradual disappearance of the aforementioned branded winter clobber paid silent testament to the reality of the situation as July slipped by Speaking to a couple of their faithful later in the week you could feel their earlier confidence paling particularly as the week and the approach of SP400 our supporters were feeling more optimistic as the media hype around Scott built up Whilst I went into this game quietly confident (just) deep respect for the opposition who just LOVE to spoil the party (remember the 125 years celebration match in 2017…???) Like a handling a tiger snake in a hessian bag The first 7 mins have been fast and furious and our delivery into our forward line is killing us a bit 8 mins and it’s 2 points to the Blues and a good game really so far A minute later and they blaze away and miss again and it’s 3 points to zip.12 min and it’s been frantic and hard and The Hyphen has a shot on goal and misses everything 14 ½ mins in they score another point and we haven’t scored … 2 mins later we hit the scoreboard with … a … point After a great bit of transition out of the backline to Hoskin-Elloitt JDG marks and kicks the first goal of the match An amazing bit of play and Pendlebury just about kicks one of the most incredible goals of his career the game seems to be played more in their half than ours … they are not getting reward for effort however our backline is holding up really well Curnow has an easy shot from 40 and misses – their lack of scoreboard pressure is certainly keeping us in the game so far it’s all tied up1.2 to 0.8 at the 26 min mark after a lovely bit of play we kick another goal followed by the first to them with literally one second on the clock to level the score at quarter time with our play not being as slick as it could be probably due to the changes A minute later and Bobby Hill dribbles a tough one which hits the base of the post Another to JDG and Coxy takes a grab and kicks truly A tap down to Nick Daicos who kicks it neatly to a leading McStay who converts from directly on front 30-40 metres out Carlton they have a copybook shot dead in front and it’s 4.6 Luck’s a fortune and a miss kick scramble and the Blues get another A terrific goal to Jordan DeGoey – followed up and great running McCreery gives away an unnecessary free and they’ll kick from 50 however it is rushed through on the goal line for yet another point there’s no love lost and Coxy’s taking no attitude from the Blues and a good old-fashioned melee starts directly after his kick with McCreery helping out who also seems to have some skin in the game… Carlton have a shot on goal which unbelievably We seem to be finding some sort of rhythm and are certainly looking better Carlton are looking dangerous and can certainly turn on some slick football given half a chance The quarter begins with The Hyphen kicking a point followed up by a beautiful goal at the 5-minute mark to our perennial Steak Knife A fast break with no pressure out of the centre at the restart and they kick yet another point We seem to click into another gear and just get the ball down our end where Hoskin-Elliott kicks his first on the goal line The Blues get one back after some tidy ruck work in front of their goal and it’s 8.8 to 4.12 Maynard gives one away and they get another a minute later At 23 ½ mins Shultz gets a free in front of goal which he duly converts Just been informed that JDG has been subbed off with an injury and Lipinski has come on Hoskin-Elliot duly converts at 28 mins and its a 25 point ball game which is the margin at the three-quarter time break Playing well but the Blues still very much in it suffice to say that after a lovely Jamie Elliot goal 2 ½ minutes in to give us a 31-point margin 3 in the space of under 3 minutes – the last at the 22 ½ minute mark Elliot made a desperate attempt at the 26-minute mark for a behind however the last gasp came to Carlton with 10 seconds on the clock with a virtual uncontested mark out in front missed the lot – did not make the distance my impression was that this game was played in three segments The first 30 minutes belonging to the Blues if they were more composed could have set them up for a win The second 60 minutes belonged to Collingwood where they managed to find a bit of last year’s form Slick transition and tackle pressure setting up the win The loss of Jordan De Goey at three-quarter time found our midfield and clearance work sub-standard Long kicks to a pack where the Blues dominated the air was just dumb I thought Moore had a good game as did Howe It says volumes that we were able to stop their momentum for the last 10 minutes giving them only one real chance to score Maynard and IQ had serviceable games although IQ is still well away from his form of last year On the AFL “fantasy” (whatever that is…) ranking Collingwood has only 5 in the top 14 for this game they played their role and were critical to our victory his kick on goal was unconvincing to say the least… Bring on Swannies next week – they are playing terribly and are cherry ripe for the picking The Brions the week after will be another matter I reckon Much is going to depend on who is going to step up and fill Tom Mitchell (our most missed and critical player in my humble opinion) and/or JDG shoes if we are to make the finals and go further this season I look forward to him smashing Harvey’s record and holding the all-time record for the most games played I’m looking forward to him becoming one of The Club’s and The Game’s greatest coaches I hope to see one of his proteges break his game record sometime well into the future To return to our Footy Almanac home page click HERE. And want to ensure it continues in its current form To help things keep ticking over please consider making your own contribution Become an Almanac (annual) member – click HERE About that coaching job – i would be very wary about giving any Collingwood champion the job at Magpieland I would rather he tested his mettle at North or West Coast or Port I would like our coach in the future to prove himself elsewhere (McRae already had a VFL premiership at Richmond) Worth noting that we have had 6 Magpie champions coach the club since 1964 – for nil premierships Only Choco Williams at Port Adelaide has won the flag Two women and a man have died after reports of gun fire at a Floreat home on Friday afternoon a man in his 60s attended the home on Berkeley Crescent where a woman in her 50s and another in her late teens were present Three people are dead after a shooting in Floreat on Friday afternoon.Credit: Nine News The man killed the older woman and critically injured the younger woman A large number of police resources were deployed to the area including the Tactical Response Group and specialist detectives St John WA provided emergency treatment to the younger woman before conveying her to Royal Perth Hospital The investigation into the circumstances surrounding the deaths is ongoing The man in his 60s is known to the woman in her 50s through a mutual contact WA Police will continue to provide support and assistance to the family friends and first-responders affected by this tragic incident WAtoday understands the incident was domestic violence related The crime scene is a few doors down from a church and close to Floreat Forum shopping centre lots of sirens and then the occasional crack,” a Berkeley Crescent resident told Nine News he said there was between eight and 15 shots.” Police described the incident as being contained and said there was no ongoing threat to the public WA Police will be holding a conference in relation to the incident on Saturday lots of sirens and then the occasional crack,\\u201D a Berkeley Crescent resident told Nine News he said there was between eight and 15 shots.\\u201D The daughter of Floreat double-murderer Mark Bombara has revealed harrowing details of the final moments of his two victims’ lives as she spoke at a domestic violence rally in Perth on Monday Ariel Bombara recalled how she and her mother were engaged in a “terrifying game of cat and mouse” with her father for eight weeks before he turned up to her mother’s best friend’s house in May Ariel Bombara speaks at a domestic violence rally in Perth on Monday.Credit: Hamish Hastie “Six months ago my mum and I picked up the keys to our new rental apartment,” Ariel said “It was a breath of fresh air and a sigh of intense relief We’d been on the run for eight weeks and during that time we were gaslit that our father would never physically hurt us malnourished and living on top of each other at various accommodation.” Ariel then recalled the phone call her mother received as they unpacked their belongings “While unpacking mum received a call from her best friend Jenny we heard Jenny telling her 18-year-old daughter to go and hide,” she said and he didn’t believe her when she said mum wasn’t there so he forced his way into their home and I remember the ice-cold shot of adrenaline and the sound that escaped my mouth akin to that of someone whose been kicked in the gut “It was the knowledge that after eight weeks of meticulous safety planning eight weeks of predicting and staying ahead of his behaviour in the most terrifying game of cat and mouse he was about to do everything we thought he was going to do to us Jennifer Petelczyc and daughter Gretl Petelczyc “Those are the last words I heard Jenny say as I frantically called triple zero while mum continued to listen to what was going on in Jenny’s house The last thing mum heard was two gunshots before the phone went dead.” Speaking ahead of the 16 Days in WA rally at Forrest Chase Ariel said Jenny’s second daughter was down the road at the shops when she received a text from Gretl telling her to call police She described her father as a “dictator” who physically and emotionally abused her and displayed “constant” coercive and controlling behaviours towards her mother including isolating her mother and criticising her twisted weight we feel because the system doesn’t protect us and puts the onus on women to manage men’s behaviour rather than holding perpetrators accountable,” she said yet we must live the rest of our lives paying for his crimes.” Ariel said her mother had tried to convince herself the abuse was not that bad because Bombara never hit her racist and homophobic to anyone who didn’t look or act like him,” she said and he made it clear in front of his daughters “‘Oh but he’s not a violent man,’ people would tell me deciding to orphan your children by murdering their mother and killing yourself because she no longer wants to live under your control.” Ariel then criticised the police response to her and her mother’s attempts to flee Bombara “After trying unsuccessfully to convince the police to take any action to protect us against him I knew the only way to make sure he couldn’t kill us was to make sure he couldn’t find us and he still managed to inflict maximum damage WA Police conducted an internal investigation into Jennifer and Gretl’s death including their earlier responses to Ariel’s concerns about her father but it is not yet known whether it will be made public Hundreds of people joined the 16 Days in WA march through the city around midday Prevention of Family and Domestic Violence Minister Sabine Winton spruiked her government’s efforts including the system reform plan aimed at improving information sharing between agencies; skilling up people working in the sector; and improving risk assessment and risk management Ariel said her father’s horrific crimes had filled her with a sense of duty to do everything in her power to prevent a similar scenario from playing out again She said she believed in the reform being embarked on by the WA government in the domestic violence space so long as there was a commitment to adequately fund it “I believe that we as a collective have the power to make a real difference we need to believe in victim-survivors and their right to be heard and supported,” she said “I fought for eight weeks against every person that tried to convince us we were overreacting If you or anyone you know needs help, call Lifeline on 13 11 14 (and see lifeline.org.au) the National Sexual Abuse and Redress Support Service on 1800 211 028 or Kids Helpline on 1800 551 800 The daughter of Floreat double-murderer Mark Bombara has revealed harrowing details of the final moments of his two victims\\u2019 lives as she spoke at a domestic violence rally in Perth on Monday Ariel Bombara recalled how she and her mother were engaged in a \\u201Cterrifying game of cat and mouse\\u201D with her father for eight weeks before he turned up to her mother\\u2019s best friend\\u2019s house in May \\u201CSix months ago my mum and I picked up the keys to our new rental apartment,\\u201D Ariel said \\u201CIt was a breath of fresh air and a sigh of intense relief We\\u2019d been on the run for eight weeks and during that time we were gaslit malnourished and living on top of each other at various accommodation.\\u201D \\u201CWhile unpacking mum received a call from her best friend Jenny we heard Jenny telling her 18-year-old daughter to go and hide,\\u201D she said \\u201CMy father had turned up looking for mum and he didn\\u2019t believe her when she said mum wasn\\u2019t there so he forced his way into their home \\u201CIt was the knowledge that after eight weeks of meticulous safety planning \\u201CThose are the last words I heard Jenny say as I frantically called triple zero while mum continued to listen to what was going on in Jenny\\u2019s house The last thing mum heard was two gunshots before the phone went dead.\\u201D Ariel said Jenny\\u2019s second daughter was down the road at the shops when she received a text from Gretl telling her to call police She described her father as a \\u201Cdictator\\u201D who physically and emotionally abused her and displayed \\u201Cconstant\\u201D coercive and controlling behaviours towards her mother \\u201CIt\\u2019s a heavy burden women carry blaming themselves for men\\u2019s violence twisted weight we feel because the system doesn\\u2019t protect us and puts the onus on women to manage men\\u2019s behaviour rather than holding perpetrators accountable,\\u201D she said \\u201CWe weren\\u2019t the ones to pick up that gun yet we must live the rest of our lives paying for his crimes.\\u201D racist and homophobic to anyone who didn\\u2019t look or act like him,\\u201D she said \\u201CHe thought women were less than dog shit \\u201C\\u2018Oh but he\\u2019s not a violent man,\\u2019 people would tell me deciding to orphan your children by murdering their mother and killing yourself because she no longer wants to live under your control.\\u201D Ariel then criticised the police response to her and her mother\\u2019s attempts to flee Bombara \\u201CAfter trying unsuccessfully to convince the police to take any action to protect us against him I knew the only way to make sure he couldn\\u2019t kill us was to make sure he couldn\\u2019t find us WA Police conducted an internal investigation into Jennifer and Gretl\\u2019s death including their earlier responses to Ariel\\u2019s concerns about her father Prevention of Family and Domestic Violence Minister Sabine Winton spruiked her government\\u2019s efforts Ariel said her father\\u2019s horrific crimes had filled her with a sense of duty to do everything in her power to prevent a similar scenario from playing out again \\u201CI believe that we as a collective have the power to make a real difference we need to believe in victim-survivors and their right to be heard and supported,\\u201D she said \\u201CI fought for eight weeks against every person that tried to convince us we were overreacting were senselessly murdered after becoming the unexpected victims in the marriage breakdown of a family friend which ended in a gunman storming their house The pair were fatally shot by Mark Bombara in the affluent suburb of Floreat on Friday afternoon Jennifer Petelczyc and her daughter Gretl making a Tiktok video together was the ex-husband of one of Jennifer’s closest friends At 4.20pm he attended the Berkeley Crescent address carrying a gun after learning his former partner had sought refuge there following the recent breakdown of their marriage When he realised she wasn’t at the address Bombara turned the firearm on the owner of the house Jennifer Police arrived at the scene and heard the final gunshot at 4.30pm believed to be Bombara turning the gun on himself Gretl was rushed to Royal Perth Hospital where she later died Police are investigating whether the women were cable-tied as part of the execution-style killings Bombara and Jennifer had met on previous occasions but did not know each other well Curtin Independent MP Kate Chaney said the Floreat community was tight-knit and so many people had a connection either to the family or the street Gretl had just passed her driving test in December “I’m absolutely heartbroken for the family who have lost their loved ones in this really violent way,” she said “It feels very close to home and this community is really hurting thinking about the fact that this can happen here in Floreat and we still have this fundamental problem in our community that a lot of men think that violence is the way to deal with things.” It’s understood Jennifer’s oldest daughter is the last surviving member of her immediate family after her father died from illness in 2019 The two sisters had an incredibly close relationship – even sharing a TikTok account where they recorded their adventures together who graduated from St Hilda’s Anglican School for Girls in 2022 and had just passed her driving test at the end of 2023 Gretl was studying at the University of Western Australia and also played for the university’s waterpolo team Neighbours described Jennifer as a “very altrustic and kind natured” person “She was always looking after people in the street their dogs and loved her children very much,” they said The family had lived in their five-bedroom $2 million Floreat home for more than 20 years Neighbours told 9 News Perth they saw Bombara driving up and down the usually quiet street multiple times on Friday afternoon before he entered the home On Saturday police spent several hours at his Mosman Park property He was licensed to own the guns used in the murderous rampage despite being known to police for non-violence related issues It is understood Bombara had suffered a stroke in January and another earlier this month Neighbours reported having seen police attend the residence on Easter Monday escorting his ex-wife as she returned to the home to collect her belongings Detective Inspector David Gorton described the incident as “distressing” on Saturday when you get a multiple murder it has a greater impact,” he said The surviving daughter and the gunman’s ex-wife are now being looked after by police Family and friends of the Petelczyc’s have begun laying tributes to the mother and daughter outside their home as the community grapples to come to terms with the awful crime If you are experiencing mental health issues, contact LifeLine WA on 13 11 14, the Suicide Call Back Service on 1300 659 467, or the MensLine Australia on 1300 789 978 was the ex-husband of one of Jennifer\\u2019s closest friends When he realised she wasn\\u2019t at the address \\u201CI\\u2019m absolutely heartbroken for the family who have lost their loved ones in this really violent way,\\u201D she said \\u201CIt feels very close to home and this community is really hurting thinking about the fact that this can happen here in Floreat and we still have this fundamental problem in our community that a lot of men think that violence is the way to deal with things.\\u201D It\\u2019s understood Jennifer\\u2019s oldest daughter The two sisters had an incredibly close relationship \\u2013 even sharing a TikTok account where they recorded their adventures together who graduated from St Hilda\\u2019s Anglican School for Girls in 2022 and also played for the university\\u2019s waterpolo team Neighbours described Jennifer as a \\u201Cvery altrustic and kind natured\\u201D person \\u201CShe was always looking after people in the street their dogs and loved her children very much,\\u201D they said Detective Inspector David Gorton described the incident as \\u201Cdistressing\\u201D on Saturday when you get a multiple murder it has a greater impact,\\u201D he said The surviving daughter and the gunman\\u2019s ex-wife are now being looked after by police Family and friends of the Petelczyc\\u2019s have begun laying tributes to the mother and daughter outside their home as the community grapples to come to terms with the awful crime If you are experiencing mental health issues Western Australia have announced a 14-player squad for the upcoming Cricket Australia Under 17 National Male Cricket Championships to be held between 16-23 January in Hobart The squad will be led by Subiaco-Floreat’s Will Malajczuk who has been selected as captain after a wonderful start to the summer in WA Premier Cricket A right-arm offspinner and talented middle-order batter Malajczuk has been a regular wicket-taker in Subiaco-Floreat’s First Grade side notching 11 wickets in eight matches at an impressive average of 14.90 He has also contributed 133 runs at 44.33 in his three innings Malajczuk played a crucial role in WA’s first U19 Male National Championships title since 2016-17 contributing 164 runs at 27.33 and six wickets at 14.66 across the six matches Talented Scarborough allrounder Zed Hollick has also been named in the 14-player squad for the Championships having also played every match as part of the U19 triumph Ten WA Premier Cricket Clubs have been represented in the squad and Willetton all having multiple players selected WA will be coached by WA Cricket Pathways Coach of Male Programs Tim Edmunds and assistant coaches Matthew Hanna and Liam O’Connor WA will compete in four 50-over fixtures over the week-long tournament beginning with a clash against Northern Territory at NTCA Oval on Thursday 16 January Every match of the Under 17s National Male Championships will be streamed live on the Cricket Australia YouTube channel while scorecards can be accessed through Play Cricket Click here to view all fixtures for the U17s Male National Championships Cricket Australia YouTube Channel can be accessed here WA Cricket Pathways Coach – Male Programs Tim Edmunds said: “We believe this is a talented and balanced squad that I’m looking forward to seeing compete and be challenged over the six matches in Hobart The National Championships are always a great opportunity for our players to showcase their skills and continue to gain experience playing against some exciting cricketers from all around Australia “We are thrilled to offer Will the chance to captain he has been in brilliant form in Premier Cricket for Subiaco-Floreat and was a major part of our U19 Championship success and we are excited for him to get an opportunity to enhance his leadership credentials “While we have talent spread right through our 14-player squad I am incredibly excited about the spin options we have at our disposal this year Having Will and Zed available from the U19s group is invaluable while Micah Akkinapalli is player of enormous upside that played in the U17 Championships last summer “We have done a power of work with these group of boys over the last couple of years and we think we have a squad of players who not only are incredibly gifted We cannot wait to see what the boys can do on the national stage.”