As it happened: WA news on Tuesday, March 25

A prisoner at the state’s largest remand facility has ended up in hospital with the measles, prompting a public health warning.

WA Health said the inmate was currently receiving treatment in a metropolitan hospital and both them and the Department of Justice were working to identify which staff and prisoners may have been exposed to the disease.

“This includes contact tracing those within the facility and anyone who has since been discharged, as well as supporting Justice Health to offer vaccines to prisoners and staff who aren’t already protected against measles,” Communicable Disease Control assistant director Jelena Maticevic said.

Anyone who visited Hakea Prison between March 16 to March 21 was urged to check their measles immunisation record.

Early symptoms include fever, cough, runny nose, and sore eyes, followed by a red blotchy non-itchy rash three or four days later, which usually starts on the face and spreads to the rest of the body.

Basil Zempilas has revealed his employment with media giant Seven West Media ceased earlier this month after being grilled on the nature of his relationship with its major shareholder Kerry Stokes and fellow billionaire Gina Rinehart.

The prominent media personality, who began his broadcast career with Seven West more than 30 years ago, confirmed he was no longer on the company’s payroll.

But he would continue to pen the weekly column he has authored for The West Australian since 2019, and which drew the ire of those in WA Labor’s ranks as it progressively became more political.

Zempilas pointed out deputy premier Rita Saffioti also had a regular column, but he said there would be no fee.

Sticking with the WA Liberals leadership challenge, most MPs have made their way into parliament to rubber stamp Basil Zempilas as opposition leader.

WAtoday caught most of them going in. Here’s what they had to say:

Jonathan Huston, new Nedlands MP: “No comment”.

Sandra Brewer, new Cottesloe MP: “I think it’s worked out for the best. I think talking to my colleagues, people are really optimistic about the future. This is a fresh start, and I think the voters of WA expressed that they were ready for a change to the Liberal team.”