❓ Hon Colin Holt asks about COVID-19 testing in regional WA, specifically regarding sample transport given reduced airline services. The parliamentary secretary assures minimal impact and alternative transport plans.
AnsweredQoN 313Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
CORONAVIRUS —
TESTING — REGIONAL AREAS
313. Hon COLIN HOLT to the parliamentary secretary
representing the Minister for Health:
I refer to COVID-19 testing.
(1) Where are COVID-19 samples
currently being tested?
(2) If this
testing is only being done in Perth, how are samples of suspected COVID-19
patients from regional Western Australia being transported or tested?
(3) Is the
minister concerned that the reduction of services by commercial regular
passenger transport airlines to regional WA will impact testing?
(4) What plans are
in place to ensure that COVID-19 testing is not impacted by the reduction of
RPT services?
TESTING — REGIONAL AREAS
313. Hon COLIN HOLT to the parliamentary secretary
representing the Minister for Health:
I refer to COVID-19 testing.
(1) Where are COVID-19 samples
currently being tested?
(2) If this
testing is only being done in Perth, how are samples of suspected COVID-19
patients from regional Western Australia being transported or tested?
(3) Is the
minister concerned that the reduction of services by commercial regular
passenger transport airlines to regional WA will impact testing?
(4) What plans are
in place to ensure that COVID-19 testing is not impacted by the reduction of
RPT services?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the honourable member for
some notice of the question.
(1) COVID-19
samples are being tested at the PathWest laboratories based at the Queen
Elizabeth II Medical Centre and Fiona Stanley Hospital.
(2) Samples
requiring molecular microbiology testing from regional WA are transported to
Perth for testing either by plane or by road.
(3) Currently, PathWest is
experiencing minimal impact to testing with changes to airline services.
(4) The WA
Country Health Service is working with PathWest to identify additional
alternative options for transport of specimens from regional WA to either
expedite transport of specimens or should transport be impacted by changes to
RPT services.
Several members interjected.
The PRESIDENT : Order! Look,
it is really hard. I know we are in unusual circumstances, but when a member
comes to the middle of the floor to ask their question, I would really
appreciate it if people could be quiet so that Hansard can hear them, because
they are not actually in the room today.
some notice of the question.
(1) COVID-19
samples are being tested at the PathWest laboratories based at the Queen
Elizabeth II Medical Centre and Fiona Stanley Hospital.
(2) Samples
requiring molecular microbiology testing from regional WA are transported to
Perth for testing either by plane or by road.
(3) Currently, PathWest is
experiencing minimal impact to testing with changes to airline services.
(4) The WA
Country Health Service is working with PathWest to identify additional
alternative options for transport of specimens from regional WA to either
expedite transport of specimens or should transport be impacted by changes to
RPT services.
Several members interjected.
The PRESIDENT : Order! Look,
it is really hard. I know we are in unusual circumstances, but when a member
comes to the middle of the floor to ask their question, I would really
appreciate it if people could be quiet so that Hansard can hear them, because
they are not actually in the room today.
Explore WA Government Data
Search the full archive in the free dashboard, or query programmatically via API.
Explore more
Government Gazette
Appointments, regulatory notices, planning changes.
Hansard
Debates, questions, speeches and sentiment.
Tabled Papers
Reports and documents tabled in Parliament.
Committees
Committee profiles and recent reports.
Regulations
Subsidiary legislation with filters and summaries.
Bills
Proposed laws and parliamentary progress.
Acts
Current WA legislation and summaries.
Explanatory Memoranda
Bills with EMs (text/PDF) available.
Members
MP profiles, party breakdown and rankings.
Pollie Rankings
Data-driven rankings across 19 categories.
Amendment Chains
Track how schemes and regulations evolve over time.