2026-03-09
Rather busy defending democratic rights, confronting racism, strengthening community safety, accelerating climate action and pushing for social justice
By Hon Brad Pettitt, MLC
The year began with a productive and insightful Office strategic planning session and Joint Office Meeting, an important opportunity to sharpen our focus for what will be a significant year ahead.
January opened with a terrible shock to our community. While I was interstate at the time, the majority of my staff were present at the Invasion Day rally when the bombing attack occurred. In the days that followed, our office supported First Nations leaders and Elders calling for the attack to be properly investigated as both an act of terrorism and a hate crime. It took 11 days, but it was ultimately recognised and investigated as a terrorist act.
In the media and online, I continued to highlight the lack of planning and infrastructure surrounding the Fremantle Traffic Bridge closure, supported community and stakeholder calls to end greyhound racing in WA following further tragic deaths at Cannington, and brought out our heat gun again to emphasise the urgent need for urban tree canopy expansion and stronger climate action.
Together with Tim Clifford MLC, I continued our social media series identifying underutilised state government land, pointing out Labor’s inaction while showcasing successful social and affordable housing solutions in and around Fremantle.
I also continued to raise concerns about the illegal tobacco trade and welcomed Fremantle Council’s planning scheme amendment to regulate convenience stores linked to organised crime.
I applauded amendments to cat containment laws empowering local governments to protect native wildlife, highlighted the commencement of works on the William Street Reimagined urban greening project, and appeared on 6PR’s Politically Speaking with Jamie Burnett to discuss practical solutions to WA’s housing crisis.
We also informed the community about the Parliamentary committee findings on the Post and Boast laws, which confirmed concerns that they would disproportionately affect young people and First Nations communities, and risk criminalising protest. We successfully delayed the vote until 10 March and continue to push for amendments that protect democratic rights.
In person, I attended and spoke at the Burswood Park Rally opposing the Motorplex as well as the Save Matilda Bay rally. I also attended the Stop Alcoa protest at Parliament.
Tim and I attended the Fremantle Growers Market to collect Renters’ Rights survey responses ahead of the second tranche of the Residential Tenancies Amendment Bill 2024.
I also continue my work on the Select Committee into Land Development and Planning.
I had the opportunity to present at the World Renewable Energy Congress on “Good and Bad Renewables,” engaging with global experts on how we ensure the energy transition is both rapid and responsible.
My staff and I visited Unit 18 and Banksia Hill Detention Centre for a second time since our initial visit in August 2023. While there have been some improvements, Unit 18 remains unsuitable for children. In Parliament, I sought detailed data on self-harm incidents and extended confinement hours in Banksia Hill and Unit 18.
Our office has continued to embed sustainability and community action into our daily practice; becoming a DV Safe Phone drop-off point, a Breastfeeding is Welcome Everywhere space, and establishing public recycling collection points through TerraCycle, Close the Loop and ReSmart. We also supported community-led heat mapping walks with Sweltering Cities and expanded our heat gun lending program to schools and community groups.
In Parliament, we supported a motion raising serious concerns about the Government’s stalled energy transition including the lack of a credible whole-of-system plan, transmission delays and failure to secure offtake agreements. We also sought to strengthen the Civil Liabilities Criminal Code Amendment (Sexual Offences) Bill 2024 to close loopholes identified after the High Court’s Bird v DP decision. We were pleased that we got Opposition support so that the Bill was ultimately referred to committee.
In this first sitting week, I also questioned reported air-conditioning failures at Roebourne Regional Prison, and sought transparency regarding mature trees and black cockatoo habitat under the ECU Mount Lawley Redevelopment Master Plan. The Wilbinga National Park petition was also extended.
We finished February confronting more disturbing news: police charged a young man allegedly planning a white supremacist–motivated mass casualty attack targeting Parliament, police headquarters and mosques just weeks after WA’s first terrorist charge relating to the Invasion Day bombing. These events are a sobering reminder that the work we do, defending democratic rights, confronting racism, strengthening community safety, accelerating climate action and pushing for social justice, is not abstract. It is about the kind of society we are building.
The first two months of this year have underscored that progress is never guaranteed. It requires vigilance, courage and persistence. As we move further into 2026, I remain committed to principled, evidence-based advocacy focused not just on reacting to events, but on building a safer, fairer and more sustainable Western Australia for the long term.
Header photo: Brad speaking at the Save Burswood Park Rally.