Kimberley and Pilbara local news briefing, September 15, 2026 - ABC News & Headlines – Australian Broadcasting Corporation

Here's what's making news in the Kimberley and Pilbara regions today.

Australia's peak minerals body says the government's crackdown on skilled migrant visas could be detrimental to the resources industry.

The Minerals Council of Australia proposed changes to skilled migration policies earlier this year, including speeding up the processing of skilled worker visas.

The federal government said it must prioritise domestic workers.

The Minerals Council of Australia chief executive, Tania Constable, said skilled migrant labour was needed to fill workforce shortfalls and keep the industry growing.

Carnarvon has cancelled its 2026 Pride march because of a lack of volunteers, and event organisers say the town will lose its annual Pride celebrations if more people do not step up.

Queernarvon chair Carmen Reilly said she was worried about the mental toll the cancellation would have on young LGBTQI+ people.

She said a Pride event could make a significant difference for young people feeling isolated.

"If there was a Pride event when I was growing up, it may have introduced me to a whole world," Ms Reilly said.

Jockey Kate Pateman has won the Carnarvon Cup for the second time, 12 years after her first victory as an apprentice.

Pateman returned to the sport after having two children and won Saturday's 2,000-metre race on Pharoah Show, which took the $32,000 prize by a nose.

She said her comeback required significant weight loss and fitness work, but it was worth the effort.

Pateman said her children were now her "biggest cheerleaders on the fence line."

Mining giant BHP has now refurbished more than 50 houses that had been vacant for years for its local workforce in Newman.

The work came months after the company announced funding to convert derelict properties it owns in East Newman into essential worker housing.

East Pilbara Shire president Anthony Middleton said the town was crying out for affordable housing.

He said affordable homes would help baristas and other service workers live locally and improve the town's social fabric.

Elders in South Hedland are calling on the community and government to take a collaborative approach to address the neglect of children in the area.

The call came after Minister for Child Protection Jessica Stojkovski touched down in South Hedland yesterday, seeking urgent answers following reports of children being left unsupervised at a residence in the town for up to a week at a time.

Nyamal elder Linda Milbugana Doogiebee-Dridi said the community, especially elders, needed to develop solutions.