Basil Zempilas’ 10: Footy must stay free and accessible

1. Fans of the “revenue raising” line can get in the bin. (That’s what the young people say). I’ve got zero problem with the new safety cameras which can detect excessive speed, no seatbelt or mobile phone use being trialled around Perth. The fact remains, too many West Aussies continue to break the rules — and the more we catch, the safer our roads will be. Ironically, no revenue will be raised — unless the police decide to follow up the infringement. Don’t take the risk.

2. It’s time. Time to turbo-charge Perth city’s residential population. Using the right incentives, the opportunity exists to create the environment to catapult Perth’s inner-city population from 31,000 to somewhere around 50,000 in the next 10 years. It’s ambitious and bold — but exactly what our city needs.

3. Westpac’s amber staff alert is off the mark. Apparently employees who can work from home may do so, with no requirement to be in the office. Is that better for business? Better for morale? Better on health and safety grounds? Why not just tell people to wear a mask if they feel the need. Being part of the community — not apart from it — is the sort of corporate leadership we want to see.

4. Shocking. How else do you describe the tragedy of a five-month-old boy, a seven-year-old boy and a 10-year-old girl being killed in a house fire. May their memories be everlasting and much love to the devastated people of Port Hedland.

5. Remember that old saying about riding a bike. You never forget. It would seem the same doesn’t apply to getting aeroplanes up and down again with passengers and bags in the same place at the same time. Are airlines and airports that out of practice?

6. The money or the (free-to-air tv) box? That’s the dilemma for the AFL. Just about everyone in football who has been asked this week has said the same thing, the footy has to stay free and mainstream. Aussie sport is littered with examples of codes who have taken more money but fewer eyeballs and suffered as a result. I trust the AFL won’t make that mistake.

7. The accolades keep coming for home-grown star Samantha Kerr. Two weeks ago it was the keys to the City of Perth, earlier this week she was unveiled on the cover of video game FIFA 23 and yesterday at sport’s version of the Oscars she won the ESPY for best international athlete in women’s soccer. Not just a star, but our star.

8. What a gentleman Liverpool superstar and current Aston Villa coach Steven Gerrard is. I had the pleasure of introducing him at The West Australian’s An Evening with Aston Villa Football Club event last night and he held the crowd spellbound. The local lad who became a Liverpool legend — what a story.

9. Remember when Prince Harry played to packed houses? The United Nations auditorium wasn’t even half full for his very earnest speech this week.

10. Isn’t Cam Smith a good bloke. And I’ll still think that even if our new British Open champion takes the money and joins the break-away LIV tour.