❓ Mr. Redman questions the inconsistency of COVID-19 restrictions on cellar door tastings versus winery restaurants. The Minister acknowledges inconsistencies, attributing them to health advice and ongoing consultation with industry bodies.
AnsweredQoN 280Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
CORONAVIRUS — HOSPITALITY
RESTRICTIONS
280. Mr D.T. REDMAN to the Minister
for Racing and Gaming:
Mr Speaker, I must say I was a little
anxious about coming to question time after having a homemade haircut, but then
this morning I saw the Treasurer, and I feel right at home!
Mr B.S. Wyatt interjected.
Mr D.T. REDMAN : We both have Italian partners, so no-one wants to take us on.
I refer to the Labor government's
decision to lift some COVID-19 restrictions from next week that will allow
greater movement into the south west. Can the minister explain why it is
considered unsafe to allow tastings before purchasing bottled wine from cellar
doors, yet it is considered safe for a larger winery with restaurant capacity
to seat up to 20 customers and serve them wine and food?
RESTRICTIONS
280. Mr D.T. REDMAN to the Minister
for Racing and Gaming:
Mr Speaker, I must say I was a little
anxious about coming to question time after having a homemade haircut, but then
this morning I saw the Treasurer, and I feel right at home!
Mr B.S. Wyatt interjected.
Mr D.T. REDMAN : We both have Italian partners, so no-one wants to take us on.
I refer to the Labor government's
decision to lift some COVID-19 restrictions from next week that will allow
greater movement into the south west. Can the minister explain why it is
considered unsafe to allow tastings before purchasing bottled wine from cellar
doors, yet it is considered safe for a larger winery with restaurant capacity
to seat up to 20 customers and serve them wine and food?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for his question. With
respect to the lifting of restrictions as we gradually move out of that most
restrictive nature of the response to COVID, there will be inconsistencies.
There will not be uniformity. There will be things that look at odds with other
decisions, but they are all driven by advice from the best possible health authorities in the world. I have said it before. I
said this morning with regard to tourism that since day one, Australia has, in my view, had one of the best, if not the best, responses in the world
to the COVID threat, and I think we in Western Australia have the best in the
country, and that has been driven by health advice —
The SPEAKER :
Patting yourself on the back again!
Mr P. PAPALIA :
And the best Minister for Health in the world!
The SPEAKER :
Point of order!
Mr P. PAPALIA :
When it comes to these matters, there will be issues around variations between
different venues. The intent is to try to provide the greatest possible
opportunity to get people back to work in the safest possible environment. In
defining the difference between a venue that is a restaurant serving whatever
number of people and a small winery doing cellar-door sales, I am not the right
person to ask—it is the health authorities. Having said that, we had a meeting
yesterday with all peak bodies from every hospitality association in the state,
including Larry Jorgensen from the Wine Industry Association WA, who made that
point. We were in the room with senior representatives from the Department of
Health and the Department of the Premier and Cabinet, which is leading the
COVID response within government, and we enabled them to make contact, offer
those questions and seek further consultation. It does not necessarily mean
that things will change between now and Monday, but it ensures that as we go
further from here, there will be far greater opportunities for industry input
to the process. Everything has been quite rushed because the national cabinet
made its decision on Friday and we had to be ready to roll out our response as
soon as we could. It is a very complex thing, but the departments are aware of
that concern and are considering it.
respect to the lifting of restrictions as we gradually move out of that most
restrictive nature of the response to COVID, there will be inconsistencies.
There will not be uniformity. There will be things that look at odds with other
decisions, but they are all driven by advice from the best possible health authorities in the world. I have said it before. I
said this morning with regard to tourism that since day one, Australia has, in my view, had one of the best, if not the best, responses in the world
to the COVID threat, and I think we in Western Australia have the best in the
country, and that has been driven by health advice —
The SPEAKER :
Patting yourself on the back again!
Mr P. PAPALIA :
And the best Minister for Health in the world!
The SPEAKER :
Point of order!
Mr P. PAPALIA :
When it comes to these matters, there will be issues around variations between
different venues. The intent is to try to provide the greatest possible
opportunity to get people back to work in the safest possible environment. In
defining the difference between a venue that is a restaurant serving whatever
number of people and a small winery doing cellar-door sales, I am not the right
person to ask—it is the health authorities. Having said that, we had a meeting
yesterday with all peak bodies from every hospitality association in the state,
including Larry Jorgensen from the Wine Industry Association WA, who made that
point. We were in the room with senior representatives from the Department of
Health and the Department of the Premier and Cabinet, which is leading the
COVID response within government, and we enabled them to make contact, offer
those questions and seek further consultation. It does not necessarily mean
that things will change between now and Monday, but it ensures that as we go
further from here, there will be far greater opportunities for industry input
to the process. Everything has been quite rushed because the national cabinet
made its decision on Friday and we had to be ready to roll out our response as
soon as we could. It is a very complex thing, but the departments are aware of
that concern and are considering it.
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