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Good morning readers, and welcome to our live news blog for Thursday, October 16.
Making headlines today is the underworld murder trial shining a light on the alleged violent and lawless lives of Western Australia’s bikies.
David Pye is on trial in WA’s Supreme Court accused of paying a former ADF solider to shoot dead ex-Rebels boss Nick Martin at the Kwinana Motorplex in 2020.
The soldier, whose identity is suppressed, admitted his role in the killing, and the prosecution’s case against Pye leans heavily on his witness testimony.
A court sketch of bikie David James Pye on the first day of his trial in the WA Supreme Court.Credit: Anne Barnetson
A heavy police presence has fortified the court as the trial gets under way, and security measures inside the courtroom include a thick glass barrier separating the public gallery from the rest of the court.
Read Rebecca Peppiatt’s coverage of yesterday’s proceedings here. Peppiatt will also bring you the latest from court today, when the former soldier who pulled the trigger is expected to take the stand.
Meanwhile, American-made “truckzillas” are flooding West Australian streets, with thousands of RAM 1500s, Ford F-150s and Chevrolet Silverados now on the road despite long-standing safety warnings about their size, weight and visibility.
Federal Bureau of Infrastructure and Transport Research Economics records show a sharp increase in large American utes or “pickups” entering Australia since 2021, rising from almost none to thousands of approvals a year.
In WA, more than 6000 of the vehicles are registered, led by RAMs and Ford’s F-Series, according to the Department of Transport and Major Infrastructure.
Read Carla Hildebrandt’s report here.
Thank you for joining us this morning. Stay tuned as we bring you more of the news you need to know.
