❓ Hon. Colin Tincknell questions the Minister for Police regarding exemptions from strict quarantine for over 6,000 people entering WA during the hard border lockdown. The Minister's response details the categories of exemptions and changes to quarantine requirements.
AnsweredQoN 744Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
CORONAVIRUS —
INTERSTATE BORDER RESTRICTIONS
744. Hon COLIN TINCKNELL to the minister representing the
Minister for Police:
Can
the minister please provide a breakdown of the reasons why 6 000-plus people
have been allowed to enter WA without strict quarantine during the
current hard border lockdown?
INTERSTATE BORDER RESTRICTIONS
744. Hon COLIN TINCKNELL to the minister representing the
Minister for Police:
Can
the minister please provide a breakdown of the reasons why 6 000-plus people
have been allowed to enter WA without strict quarantine during the
current hard border lockdown?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the honourable member for
some notice of this question. The following answer has been provided to me by
the Minister for Police.
The Western Australia Police Force
advises that quarantine statistics are not recorded for categories such as business
reasons and the recording system has not been established to capture this level
of detail. The exemptions have been managed to ensure the safety of Western Australians
whilst at the same time protecting our economy, industry and businesses. The
majority of exemptions related to WA-resident domestic flight crew, who were
previously exempt from quarantine requirements. Specific quarantine
requirements for domestic flight crew, including
WA-resident flight crew who have been in New South Wales or Victoria in the
last 14 days, were introduced in
July. A number of those exempt from quarantine were essential specialist
workers required for critical infrastructure and time-critical
maintenance and support of the state. Changes to directions in July now require
those specialists to quarantine, and further restrict anyone who has been in
New South Wales or Victoria in the last 14 days from entering the state. A
smaller number of those exempt fell into the category of commonwealth officials
or those performing a function of commonwealth law, as well as active military
or health personnel. Individual numbers for each exemption category are not
particularised in the recording system. As the honourable member is aware, we
are currently living in a unique state of emergency and our police officers are
rightly focused on responding to COVID-19 and keeping our community safe in
these unprecedented times.
some notice of this question. The following answer has been provided to me by
the Minister for Police.
The Western Australia Police Force
advises that quarantine statistics are not recorded for categories such as business
reasons and the recording system has not been established to capture this level
of detail. The exemptions have been managed to ensure the safety of Western Australians
whilst at the same time protecting our economy, industry and businesses. The
majority of exemptions related to WA-resident domestic flight crew, who were
previously exempt from quarantine requirements. Specific quarantine
requirements for domestic flight crew, including
WA-resident flight crew who have been in New South Wales or Victoria in the
last 14 days, were introduced in
July. A number of those exempt from quarantine were essential specialist
workers required for critical infrastructure and time-critical
maintenance and support of the state. Changes to directions in July now require
those specialists to quarantine, and further restrict anyone who has been in
New South Wales or Victoria in the last 14 days from entering the state. A
smaller number of those exempt fell into the category of commonwealth officials
or those performing a function of commonwealth law, as well as active military
or health personnel. Individual numbers for each exemption category are not
particularised in the recording system. As the honourable member is aware, we
are currently living in a unique state of emergency and our police officers are
rightly focused on responding to COVID-19 and keeping our community safe in
these unprecedented times.
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