❓ Dr. Honey questions the Premier about the inconsistent communication of COVID-19 health advice, specifically regarding the timing and source of information on private gathering restrictions. The Premier defends the government's agile approach and preparedness for the upcoming surge in cases.
AnsweredQoN 81Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
CORONAVIRUS — RESTRICTIONS
81. Dr D.J. HONEY to the Premier:
I refer to the Premier's
answer in this place yesterday regarding publishing advice from the Chief
Health Officer in which he said —
I think it has been published on the
Health website or some other website today already.
(1) Was the
change to private gatherings policy shared on the Premier's Facebook
page this morning first published to the Department of Health website?
(2) If the
Premier does not know when, where or how important updates to health advice are
published, what chance do Western Australians have of finding them?
(3) Why does the government continually fail to
clearly communicate COVID-19 health advice through a single verified
source?
81. Dr D.J. HONEY to the Premier:
I refer to the Premier's
answer in this place yesterday regarding publishing advice from the Chief
Health Officer in which he said —
I think it has been published on the
Health website or some other website today already.
(1) Was the
change to private gatherings policy shared on the Premier's Facebook
page this morning first published to the Department of Health website?
(2) If the
Premier does not know when, where or how important updates to health advice are
published, what chance do Western Australians have of finding them?
(3) Why does the government continually fail to
clearly communicate COVID-19 health advice through a single verified
source?
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(3) I am unaware as to whether the advice on gathering
limits for outdoor events of up to 200 people was published on the Department
of Health or Department of the Premier and Cabinet or other website prior to it
being published on my Facebook site. I do not know. I do not know the answer to
that incredibly insightful question as to when and where it was published, but
I do know that it has been published. I answered questions on it; in fact, I did
a press conference earlier. I outlined the new conditions at a press conference
earlier today. What we find with COVID, and one of the great things about the
management of it by the public sector in Western Australia, is that we have
been agile and flexible as required. That is why we have had the world's best outcome when it comes
to dealing with COVID—the world's best outcome economically and in a health sense—because we were
agile and flexible and we were prepared do difficult things at difficult times.
The great thing about this government is that we were prepared to make
difficult decisions. We have been prepared to do difficult things. During a pandemic,
that is what is needed—people who are prepared to do what is required.
That is what we have done and that is why we are world-leading.
We are going into a situation now in
which over 600—I think there were 640 or thereabouts—cases were reported today, many by rapid antigen tests,
of which we have many millions in stock. That will be a difficult situation
for us to go through in coming weeks and months. But the good thing about it is
that we will go into that with extremely high, by world standards, levels of
vaccination. We will go into it with a health system that is well prepared. We
will go into it with clear lines of communication and clear understanding by
the public of what is required. We will go into it with well set out public
health social measures and a community that is quite compliant and prepared to
do the right thing in difficult circumstances. That is a good position to be
in. Although it will be rough and difficult, and people will get unwell—currently
there are four people in hospital—in increasing numbers, and there will
be economic dislocation, we are as best prepared as anywhere in the entire world
to go into the situation we are now confronting.
limits for outdoor events of up to 200 people was published on the Department
of Health or Department of the Premier and Cabinet or other website prior to it
being published on my Facebook site. I do not know. I do not know the answer to
that incredibly insightful question as to when and where it was published, but
I do know that it has been published. I answered questions on it; in fact, I did
a press conference earlier. I outlined the new conditions at a press conference
earlier today. What we find with COVID, and one of the great things about the
management of it by the public sector in Western Australia, is that we have
been agile and flexible as required. That is why we have had the world's best outcome when it comes
to dealing with COVID—the world's best outcome economically and in a health sense—because we were
agile and flexible and we were prepared do difficult things at difficult times.
The great thing about this government is that we were prepared to make
difficult decisions. We have been prepared to do difficult things. During a pandemic,
that is what is needed—people who are prepared to do what is required.
That is what we have done and that is why we are world-leading.
We are going into a situation now in
which over 600—I think there were 640 or thereabouts—cases were reported today, many by rapid antigen tests,
of which we have many millions in stock. That will be a difficult situation
for us to go through in coming weeks and months. But the good thing about it is
that we will go into that with extremely high, by world standards, levels of
vaccination. We will go into it with a health system that is well prepared. We
will go into it with clear lines of communication and clear understanding by
the public of what is required. We will go into it with well set out public
health social measures and a community that is quite compliant and prepared to
do the right thing in difficult circumstances. That is a good position to be
in. Although it will be rough and difficult, and people will get unwell—currently
there are four people in hospital—in increasing numbers, and there will
be economic dislocation, we are as best prepared as anywhere in the entire world
to go into the situation we are now confronting.
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