WA news LIVE: Arson squad investigating fire that destroys multiple cars at Perth mechanic

More than a dozen cars in Perth’s south-east have been torched with the arson squad now looking into whether the blaze was deliberate.

The cars were parked at a mechanics’ workshop in Welshpool, with firefighters responding to calls of the flames on Sunday morning – five trucks sent to battle the fire.

A large hole was cut into the fence of the property, which will be a focus for investigators.

Ben Borrett, from the Department of Fire and Emergency Services, said crews entered through the front gate and “threw a stream of water between the cars and the building to stop it spreading into the structure”.

“I think [the business owners] are a bit shaken up – not the best phone call to receive at 6am.”

A total of 14 cars, including a Volvo, BMW and refrigerator truck, parked to be repaired, were destroyed. 9News Perth reported that the business was not insured.

Investigations are ongoing.

Here’s what’s making headlines elsewhere today:

• The Australian neo-Nazi group that held an anti-Jewish rally outside NSW Parliament last year, and continues to harbour ambitions to form a political party, included serious domestic violence offenders, drug dealers, stalkers and an accused paedophile. The National Socialist Network formally disbanded in January to avoid designation as a hate group under new laws passed following the Bondi mass shooting.

• Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke may deny a visa to a controversial Israeli journalist because of inflammatory comments he made lamenting the fact that there hadn’t been more casualties in Gaza and applauding the killing of Palestinian journalists. Israeli journalist Zvi Yehezkeli is scheduled to speak at fundraising events next month in Sydney and Melbourne.

• The Coalition will challenge Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to take further steps that stop the return of a cohort of IS brides and their children to Australia, seeking the introduction of laws that criminalise the actions of NGOs or advocates who help people linked to terrorism come back into the country.

• Australia’s best-ever Winter Olympics will come to a close this morning in Verona, where the Milano Cortina organisers will hand over to France, who are set to host the 2030 Games. Follow our updates on the closing ceremony here.

• Overseas, police have shot and killed a man in his early 20s who was trying to break into Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago club in Florida, armed with a shotgun and a gas canister, authorities say. The man breached the secure perimeter on the north side of the property about 1.30am on Sunday (Florida time) when he was confronted by two Secret Service agents and a local police officer.
• And the British government has signalled plans to remove Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor from the royal line of succession following his arrest on suspicion of misconduct in public office last week, as police launch further inquiries.

It’s hard to believe, but this is the final week of summer. Wednesday will be the warmest day as a trough deepens down the west coast. However, the start of the long weekend is looking quite mild.

Good morning readers, and welcome to our live news blog for Monday, February 23.

Making headlines today, dozens of WA families submitted discrimination complaints against schools to the Australian Human Rights Commission in 2025 – the most out of any state or territory nationally bar NSW, despite having far fewer students.

Documents released after a Freedom of Information request revealed that 32 complaints were received between January 28, 2025 and January 27, 2026.

Find out more here.

In case you missed it over the weekend, on Sunday, a Perth man who stole a forklift and drove it through a local shopping centre in a bid to steal an ATM has been charged with dozens offences.

Read more here.

And also making headlines the other day, a new report to be presented to Perth city council recommends making the central business district home to light rail, a market hall, more bikes lanes and introducing a cable car to bring tourists down from Kings Park.

Read more here. 

Stay with us as more news breaks.