❓ Mrs. Hayden questions the Premier on the delay in opening borders to the NT and SA, citing economic justification and job losses. The Premier defends the border closures, highlighting SA's restrictions and WA's economic openness due to health protections.
AnsweredQoN 436Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
CORONAVIRUS —
TOURISM — INTERSTATE TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS
436. Mrs A.K. HAYDEN to the Premier:
I have a supplementary question.
Given that there is a strong economic justification to open the borders to the
Northern Territory and South Australia, as their health risk profile is the
same as that of WA, when will the government open the borders and stop the 42
job losses we are having every day?
TOURISM — INTERSTATE TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS
436. Mrs A.K. HAYDEN to the Premier:
I have a supplementary question.
Given that there is a strong economic justification to open the borders to the
Northern Territory and South Australia, as their health risk profile is the
same as that of WA, when will the government open the borders and stop the 42
job losses we are having every day?
AnswerView source ↗
Mr Speaker —
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members!
Mr M. McGOWAN : I do not
really understand the logic, because South Australia is very restrictive in
terms of what people can do in that state, whether it is playing contact sport
or anything else. I am advised that people cannot even play a game of pool.
There is a rule about 80 people in a venue, with 20 people per room. We allow
for 300 people, with 100 people per room. Therefore, the idea that
somehow there is some consistency and we should open up the border to South
Australia, when that state is very locked down, is not especially logical,
particularly considering the fact that it would be unconstitutional to do so.
We are not of a mind to do that. I am sure that the people of Darling Range,
and certainly the people of Roleystone when I was there the other day, are very
pleased that we took the steps to protect the health and welfare of Western Australians
with those border arrangements, which has meant that we could open our economy
more than any other state in Australia has been able to do. We have taken the
steps to protect the health of Western Australians. I just wish that the
Liberal Party in Western Australia would stop trying to undermine these
efforts.
The SPEAKER : That is the end
of question time.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members!
Mr M. McGOWAN : I do not
really understand the logic, because South Australia is very restrictive in
terms of what people can do in that state, whether it is playing contact sport
or anything else. I am advised that people cannot even play a game of pool.
There is a rule about 80 people in a venue, with 20 people per room. We allow
for 300 people, with 100 people per room. Therefore, the idea that
somehow there is some consistency and we should open up the border to South
Australia, when that state is very locked down, is not especially logical,
particularly considering the fact that it would be unconstitutional to do so.
We are not of a mind to do that. I am sure that the people of Darling Range,
and certainly the people of Roleystone when I was there the other day, are very
pleased that we took the steps to protect the health and welfare of Western Australians
with those border arrangements, which has meant that we could open our economy
more than any other state in Australia has been able to do. We have taken the
steps to protect the health of Western Australians. I just wish that the
Liberal Party in Western Australia would stop trying to undermine these
efforts.
The SPEAKER : That is the end
of question time.
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