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Perth’s public hospitals declare more than 500 code yellows as capacity issues plague WA health system

Perth’s public hospitals have been forced to declare more than 500 code yellows in the past year as capacity issues continue to plague the health system.

Worst impacted was Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, which went into code yellow 144 times in 2021-22 – an average of eleven every two and a half days.

That was followed by Perth Children’s Hospital (89 code yellows), Fiona Stanley Hospital (74) and Royal Perth Hospital (68).

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The city’s biggest maternity hospital, King Edward Memorial, declared 36 code yellows in the year to July.

A code yellow refers to an infrastructure or other internal emergency that is impacting service delivery – including a lack of available beds.

Shadow Health Minister Libby Mettam said the “shocking” figures – contained in answers to questions in Parliament – ​​pointed to a health system that was “significantly under-resourced and lurching from crisis to crisis”.

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Australia

Murdoch University students uncover crucial detail to bring decades-old murder investigation to Australia

Murdoch University students have helped uncover a missing piece of the puzzle and an Australian twist in a decades-old European murder investigation.

As part of the International Cold Case Analysis Project, Murdoch students, alongside criminology and forensic science students from UK universities, dusted off a mysterious murder case known as “The Gentleman” which had sat unanswered for 28 years.

On July 11, 1994, a male body was found by police in the North Sea, west of the German island of Helgoland. The body showed signs of trauma and had been weighed down with cast iron cobbler’s feet, a shoemaker’s tool.

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An artist's reconstruction of The Gentleman.
Camera IconAn artist’s reconstruction of The Gentleman. Credit: Murdoch University/Supplied

The body was brought to the city of Wilhelmshaven for a post mortem, but the man’s identity remained a mystery and he became known as ‘The Gentleman’ due to his apparent ‘middle-class’ clothing.

Initial investigations by German police in the 1990s suggested ‘The Gentleman’ was about 45 to 50 years old when he died and from an English-speaking country, but they were never able to confirm his identity or homeland.

The students, along with Germany’s Police Academy of Lower Saxony, recommended a range of further actions to be taken by local authorities which resulted in a surprising discovery — ‘The Gentleman’ likely spent most of his life in Australia.

This vital clue came from isotope ratio analyzes on a sample of bone. Isotopic compositions of food, water and dust differ across the globe due to variations in climate, bedrock, soil and human activity, and so do the isotopic compositions of the tissues of humans who ingest them.

A complete DNA profile was achieved in December last year, as well as photographic facial reconstruction.

Murdoch’s Cold Case Review group directors Brendan Chapman and Dr David Keatley are now using their local law enforcement connections to help German authorities progress the case in Australia, with hope it may lead to ‘The Gentleman’ finally being identified.

“It’s almost unbelievable,” Mr Chapman said.

Murdoch Cold Case Review group co-director Brendan Chapman.
Camera IconMurdoch Cold Case Review group co-director Brendan Chapman. Credit: Murdoch University/Supplied/Supplied

“What are the chances that from this small collection of universities working on this case, one would be from the country where the man originated?”

“We’ve built such a great relationship with ICCAP course leader Karsten Bettels over the years and we are really privileged to be afforded the trust by the German Police Academy to work on live cases with our students.”

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Australia

Peak-hour chaos as crash, breakdowns on Kwinana Freeway and Tonkin Highway add to heavy rain delays

Peak-hour traffic has been hit across the metropolitan area by several incidents as heavy rain causes widespread delays.

Motorists northbound on Kwinana Freeway need to be extra careful on the approach to South Terrace in Como with the left lane blocked after an accident.

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Main Roads have warned of slow traffic in the area.

There have also been a number of breakdowns across the metropolitan area, with the right lane blocked on Tonkin Highway northbound after Roe Highway in Kewdale.

Traffic is slow on approach, with visibility in the wet also hampered.

Traffic is also slow on Tonkin Highway southbound prior to Morley Drive in Morley after a breakdown.

Tow trucks are dealing with the issue in the left emergency lane.

There has been a truck breakdown on the Kwinana Freeway in South Perth.

Emergency services have closed the left lane prior to Mill Point Road.

And Main Roads have warned holidaymakers heading to Perth Airport to allow extra travel time with roadworks closing Tonkin Highway from Great Eastern Highway to Dunreath Drive for bridge removal and construction.

The works started at 4am on Monday, with motorists told to seek alternative routes.

Thick smoke is also making driving difficult on Mitchell Freeway between Neerabup Road and Hester Avenue.

With reduced visibility in the area, motorists have been told to switch on their headlights and take extreme caution.

The latest incidents come after a crash on Kwinana Freeway in Baldivis prior to Karnup Road caused delays on Sunday night.

With wet weather to continue throughout Monday and into Tuesday, motorists across Perth have been warned to stay vigilant, switch on headlights and ensure a safe braking distance to the vehicle in front.

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