❓ Question addresses WA's COVID-19 vaccination rates and their impact on the Omicron response, while also questioning efforts to undermine the state's success. The Premier's answer highlights WA's high vaccination rates and criticises the Liberal and National parties' opposition to government measures.
AnsweredQoN 138Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
CORONAVIRUS — VACCINATIONS
138. Ms E.L. HAMILTON to the Premier:
I
refer to the McGowan Labor government's responsible management of the
COVID-19 pandemic and its continued efforts to keep the Western Australian
community safe.
(1) Can the
Premier outline to the house how Western Australia's world-leading
vaccination rates have shaped the government's response to the Omicron
variant?
(2) Can the Premier advise the house whether he is
aware of any concerted efforts to undermine WA's success?
138. Ms E.L. HAMILTON to the Premier:
I
refer to the McGowan Labor government's responsible management of the
COVID-19 pandemic and its continued efforts to keep the Western Australian
community safe.
(1) Can the
Premier outline to the house how Western Australia's world-leading
vaccination rates have shaped the government's response to the Omicron
variant?
(2) Can the Premier advise the house whether he is
aware of any concerted efforts to undermine WA's success?
AnswerView source ↗
It is very good to be back in the
house. I thank the member for Joondalup for the question.
(1)–(2) As
of today, Western Australia has a third dose vaccination rate of 71.5 per cent.
That is the highest of all the states of Australia and, I think, one of the
highest rates in the world. Despite the fact that we have the lowest rate of
people who are actually eligible for their third dose vaccination, we have the
highest third dose vaccination rate, which is an amazing achievement. It is a testament
to a lot of things: firstly, Western Australians rolling up and doing the right
thing by the state, themselves and their families; to all our outreach efforts, in particular by Health and
police, into the regions and remote Aboriginal communities ; to our proof
of vaccination requirements for entry to venues hospitals and other facilities;
to the workforce mandates, which caused some controversy but ensured that we
got large numbers of people vaccinated in Western
Australia; and to our delay in reopening the borders, which has saved countless
Western Australian lives. Having the highest third dose rate of all the
states is something we can all be very, very proud of.
Today we had 7 151 new cases of
COVID-19. We expect we are only days away from peaking in our case numbers, yet only 140 people are currently in
hospital with COVID and only four in the intensive care unit and, sadly, one person passed away overnight.
At the same time in their Omicron outbreaks, New South Wales had 625
people in hospital, South Australia had 214 people in hospital, and although we
are not through this outbreak yet, and I do not want to be too premature, what
this shows is that the vaccination levels and the efforts that the state
government has gone to to keep Western Australians safe has paid an enormous
dividend for the people of Western Australia and, indeed, for not only our
health system, but also our state's economy.
I am aware that overwhelmingly Western
Australians have pulled in one direction. Unfortunately, there has been a group
of people who did not, and that is the Liberal Party and the Nationals WA
members, who continue to condemn the measures we put in place to keep Western Australians
safe, despite the fact that they say they
supported us. I quote the Leader of the Liberal Party. When talking about the
anti-vaxxers , he said, ''We
need to encourage and understand them.'' Those were the Liberal leader's
comments on them. The Leader of the Opposition refused to back the measures at
various points, saying of the mandates —
''[It's] disappointing
that it has come to this for the community and I have great concerns �
That is what she said. We all know
you did not back the sensible delay to reopen the borders, which saved countless Western Australian lives, and you can
compare Western Australia with South Australia when you want to look at
a state that made a big mistake. We can also compare the Western Australian
opposition with the South Australian opposition. The South Australian
opposition leader, Peter Malinauskas—a very good man—over the
course of COVID, did not take every opportunity to condemn and criticise,
unlike the Liberal and National Parties in Western Australia. At every possible
opportunity, they took the chance to nitpick
and score points, and we can see that the people of South Australia actually
respect an opposition leader who did the right thing in difficult
circumstances.
house. I thank the member for Joondalup for the question.
(1)–(2) As
of today, Western Australia has a third dose vaccination rate of 71.5 per cent.
That is the highest of all the states of Australia and, I think, one of the
highest rates in the world. Despite the fact that we have the lowest rate of
people who are actually eligible for their third dose vaccination, we have the
highest third dose vaccination rate, which is an amazing achievement. It is a testament
to a lot of things: firstly, Western Australians rolling up and doing the right
thing by the state, themselves and their families; to all our outreach efforts, in particular by Health and
police, into the regions and remote Aboriginal communities ; to our proof
of vaccination requirements for entry to venues hospitals and other facilities;
to the workforce mandates, which caused some controversy but ensured that we
got large numbers of people vaccinated in Western
Australia; and to our delay in reopening the borders, which has saved countless
Western Australian lives. Having the highest third dose rate of all the
states is something we can all be very, very proud of.
Today we had 7 151 new cases of
COVID-19. We expect we are only days away from peaking in our case numbers, yet only 140 people are currently in
hospital with COVID and only four in the intensive care unit and, sadly, one person passed away overnight.
At the same time in their Omicron outbreaks, New South Wales had 625
people in hospital, South Australia had 214 people in hospital, and although we
are not through this outbreak yet, and I do not want to be too premature, what
this shows is that the vaccination levels and the efforts that the state
government has gone to to keep Western Australians safe has paid an enormous
dividend for the people of Western Australia and, indeed, for not only our
health system, but also our state's economy.
I am aware that overwhelmingly Western
Australians have pulled in one direction. Unfortunately, there has been a group
of people who did not, and that is the Liberal Party and the Nationals WA
members, who continue to condemn the measures we put in place to keep Western Australians
safe, despite the fact that they say they
supported us. I quote the Leader of the Liberal Party. When talking about the
anti-vaxxers , he said, ''We
need to encourage and understand them.'' Those were the Liberal leader's
comments on them. The Leader of the Opposition refused to back the measures at
various points, saying of the mandates —
''[It's] disappointing
that it has come to this for the community and I have great concerns �
That is what she said. We all know
you did not back the sensible delay to reopen the borders, which saved countless Western Australian lives, and you can
compare Western Australia with South Australia when you want to look at
a state that made a big mistake. We can also compare the Western Australian
opposition with the South Australian opposition. The South Australian
opposition leader, Peter Malinauskas—a very good man—over the
course of COVID, did not take every opportunity to condemn and criticise,
unlike the Liberal and National Parties in Western Australia. At every possible
opportunity, they took the chance to nitpick
and score points, and we can see that the people of South Australia actually
respect an opposition leader who did the right thing in difficult
circumstances.
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