Top news from the Busselton Dunsborough Times

This week’s Busselton Dunsborough Times sees the battle for Smiths Beach resurrected, South West students short films will be featured at CinefestOZ as part of the Cinesnaps Film Competition, A south West man accused of raping a woman at a BHP mine site has pleaded not guilty.

Fast-track plan worries Capes protesters

The Capes community will again fight to save Smiths Beach as Liberal deputy leader Libby Mettam throws her weight behind the battle.

The member for Vasse has lobbied WA Planning Minister Rita Saffioti to stop a renewed push for development at the popular South West beach to go through COVID-prompted fast-track planning laws.

As revealed by The West Australian on Saturday, Perth developer Adrian Fini’s Hesperia consortium has plans to build a 65-room hotel and 61 residences — similar to the previous failed plan 15 years ago — with a 36-platform camping ground for Cape to Cape Track walkers.

Teens on big screen

Topping the masses of young filmmakers across the State, 12 South West teenagers will have their short films showcased at this year’s CinefestOZ.

The teens make up five groups of local students who made it as film finalists in the 2021 Cinesnaps Short Film Competition, set to be part of the full festival program next month. Three groups of students from Great Southern Grammar also made the finals, all of which will be included in the Red Carpet Grand Finale Event on August 26.

FIFO worker vows to fight rape allegations

A fly-in, fly-out worker accused of raping his female colleague at a remote BHP Pilbara mine site late last year has revealed he will fight the sex attack allegations.

The South West man, aged in his 30s, pleaded not guilty on Wednesday to two charges of sexual penetration without consent for allegedly assaulting the woman at BHP’s Mulla Mulla Village in November.