❓ Ms. Davies questions the Premier's refusal to share the basis for border restriction decisions. The Premier responds that a health professional review is underway and reminds of potential negative economic impacts when borders open.
AnsweredQoN 34Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
CORONAVIRUS
— INTERSTATE BORDER RESTRICTIONS
34. Ms M.J. DAVIES to the Premier:
I have a supplementary
question. Why does the Premier continue to refuse to provide information to Western
Australians who are waiting to understand the basis of the decisions
that he is making on their lives and livelihoods, and why will he not share
that information with the public of Western Australia?
— INTERSTATE BORDER RESTRICTIONS
34. Ms M.J. DAVIES to the Premier:
I have a supplementary
question. Why does the Premier continue to refuse to provide information to Western
Australians who are waiting to understand the basis of the decisions
that he is making on their lives and livelihoods, and why will he not share
that information with the public of Western Australia?
AnswerView source ↗
It
is the subject of a review by health professionals that will provide us with
that information. I will take the Leader of the Opposition through this
again, because I say these things so often; I explain it to the opposition, and
then the member asks me the same question again. I get this a lot, not just
here.
On
20 January, when I did the press conference, I said we would review this matter
over February. That is what we are doing
currently. We are reviewing it on the basis of a cautious, sober approach to a serious
problem that is causing all sorts of issues in the eastern states. Once we get
the review, we will be able to set a date, and that date will obviously be at
some point in time in the future. There is a lot of heat and anger about this,
and I just remind people: we are trying to save lives and save jobs. I take
members back to the budget or perhaps the midyear review last year. Our tourism
industry in Western Australia has actually been incredibly strong, and one of
the warnings that was contained within the budget or perhaps the midyear review
was that when international borders opened, there would be major economic
impacts that would be negative for Western Australia. I ask members to just
remember those things. I think some of the commentators, particularly from some
of the industry groups, do not really realise that once international borders
open and Australians can travel freely overseas, there will be some serious
economic impacts. We outlined that in the budget, and some of the
spending power in retail, hospitality and the like, and also in local tourism,
will go down because in ordinary years, Western Australians are net exporters
when it comes to tourism spend. In other words, we spend more overseas than
international or interstate tourists, or both, spend within Western Australia.
All these things will be things that
will happen in the future. They are not relevant to the review, but I thought I
would make that point to some of those people out there who think that somehow
there is going to be some major, massive economic uplift. They do not really
understand what is coming, particularly when more cases come into Western Australia.
Obviously, the public health social measures will increase. Again, some people
understand that, but some people do not understand that some of the impacts—not
just health, but also economic impacts—are not going to be an upside
for Western Australia.
The SPEAKER : Members, that
concludes question time.
is the subject of a review by health professionals that will provide us with
that information. I will take the Leader of the Opposition through this
again, because I say these things so often; I explain it to the opposition, and
then the member asks me the same question again. I get this a lot, not just
here.
On
20 January, when I did the press conference, I said we would review this matter
over February. That is what we are doing
currently. We are reviewing it on the basis of a cautious, sober approach to a serious
problem that is causing all sorts of issues in the eastern states. Once we get
the review, we will be able to set a date, and that date will obviously be at
some point in time in the future. There is a lot of heat and anger about this,
and I just remind people: we are trying to save lives and save jobs. I take
members back to the budget or perhaps the midyear review last year. Our tourism
industry in Western Australia has actually been incredibly strong, and one of
the warnings that was contained within the budget or perhaps the midyear review
was that when international borders opened, there would be major economic
impacts that would be negative for Western Australia. I ask members to just
remember those things. I think some of the commentators, particularly from some
of the industry groups, do not really realise that once international borders
open and Australians can travel freely overseas, there will be some serious
economic impacts. We outlined that in the budget, and some of the
spending power in retail, hospitality and the like, and also in local tourism,
will go down because in ordinary years, Western Australians are net exporters
when it comes to tourism spend. In other words, we spend more overseas than
international or interstate tourists, or both, spend within Western Australia.
All these things will be things that
will happen in the future. They are not relevant to the review, but I thought I
would make that point to some of those people out there who think that somehow
there is going to be some major, massive economic uplift. They do not really
understand what is coming, particularly when more cases come into Western Australia.
Obviously, the public health social measures will increase. Again, some people
understand that, but some people do not understand that some of the impacts—not
just health, but also economic impacts—are not going to be an upside
for Western Australia.
The SPEAKER : Members, that
concludes question time.
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