❓ Ms. Kelsbie asks the Premier for an update on WA's vaccination efforts. The Premier details progress, challenges faced, and reaffirms the government's commitment to achieving vaccination targets and protecting Western Australians.
AnsweredQoN 727Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
CORONAVIRUS
— INTERSTATE BORDER RESTRICTIONS — TRANSITION PLAN
727. Ms E.J. KELSBIE to the Premier:
On
behalf of the members for Southern River and Jandakot, I welcome the year 6
students from Carey Baptist College.
I
refer to Western Australia's safe transition plan, which will see
border controls with higher risk jurisdictions eased at the 90 per cent
double-dose vaccination rate. Can the Premier update the house on Western Australia's
efforts to get as many eligible Western Australians vaccinated as possible?
— INTERSTATE BORDER RESTRICTIONS — TRANSITION PLAN
727. Ms E.J. KELSBIE to the Premier:
On
behalf of the members for Southern River and Jandakot, I welcome the year 6
students from Carey Baptist College.
I
refer to Western Australia's safe transition plan, which will see
border controls with higher risk jurisdictions eased at the 90 per cent
double-dose vaccination rate. Can the Premier update the house on Western Australia's
efforts to get as many eligible Western Australians vaccinated as possible?
AnswerView source ↗
Thank you, member for Warren–Blackwood,
for the question. We have put in place a safe transition plan, which is based
on a soft landing for Western Australia, with minimal impact on Western Australia's
unique way of life. The 90 per cent transition target is based on expert health
advice. It is aligned with the national modelling by the Doherty Institute,
which I saw on Friday and which shows that at 90 per cent, it will be far safer
for people than at 80 per cent. So far, 81 per cent–plus of Western Australians
aged 12 and over have received their first dose of the vaccine, and nearly 67
per cent of Western Australians aged 12 and over have received two doses. That
is despite some of the issues that have occurred.
Firstly, we did not get the extra
doses that New South Wales and Victoria got per capita—hundreds and
hundreds of thousands of extra doses, way ahead of Western Australia. Secondly,
the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation did not recommend a shorter
period between doses for Western Australia, as it did for Victoria and New South Wales. Thirdly, and perhaps most
importantly, those states had a massive outbreak, which of course encourages people more quickly to get vaccinated, and there was no way I wanted
to encourage an outbreak here in order to achieve the vaccination target.
We
have not had those things occur, but still our vaccination rate is very strong
and continues to climb each day. Over the
weekend, 28 271 Western Australians received the vaccine, with 15 574 doses
administered at our state vaccination clinics and at Bunnings stores. That was a 12.3 per cent increase on the
weekend prior. What is encouraging is that 70 per cent of the vaccinations
delivered at the Bunnings pop-up clinics were first doses. Our number of first
doses continues to climb. But as the number of the remaining population left to
be vaccinated decreases, the rollout and the numbers being vaccinated each day
will, by definition almost, decline. Therefore, obviously, as we get towards
the pointy end, it will become a bit more difficult to reach the people who are
perhaps most difficult to reach.
I
am confident that we will hit our vaccination targets. The majority of Western Australians,
certainly by vaccination rates, recognise that the plan is safe and provides
certainty. Our modelling shows that it will save 200 lives. By putting in place the measures that we have put in place, first, we are saving lives;
second, we are saving the vulnerable; and, third, we are keeping critical
industries going, which is why we have put in place vaccination mandates around
certain industries in Western Australia.
My
message to those who are opposing and undermining our vaccination efforts is
that the government will not be deterred.
We will keep on going. We will ensure that we get Western Australians
vaccinated. The government is resolute about keeping Western Australians safe. We will not give in to threats. We are
not going to be bullied or intimidated by people. Crazy actions, as we have
seen recently, are not going to work to stop the government doing what we need
to do. Our commitment is to protect Western Australians and protect our unique
way of life, and that will not shift.
for the question. We have put in place a safe transition plan, which is based
on a soft landing for Western Australia, with minimal impact on Western Australia's
unique way of life. The 90 per cent transition target is based on expert health
advice. It is aligned with the national modelling by the Doherty Institute,
which I saw on Friday and which shows that at 90 per cent, it will be far safer
for people than at 80 per cent. So far, 81 per cent–plus of Western Australians
aged 12 and over have received their first dose of the vaccine, and nearly 67
per cent of Western Australians aged 12 and over have received two doses. That
is despite some of the issues that have occurred.
Firstly, we did not get the extra
doses that New South Wales and Victoria got per capita—hundreds and
hundreds of thousands of extra doses, way ahead of Western Australia. Secondly,
the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation did not recommend a shorter
period between doses for Western Australia, as it did for Victoria and New South Wales. Thirdly, and perhaps most
importantly, those states had a massive outbreak, which of course encourages people more quickly to get vaccinated, and there was no way I wanted
to encourage an outbreak here in order to achieve the vaccination target.
We
have not had those things occur, but still our vaccination rate is very strong
and continues to climb each day. Over the
weekend, 28 271 Western Australians received the vaccine, with 15 574 doses
administered at our state vaccination clinics and at Bunnings stores. That was a 12.3 per cent increase on the
weekend prior. What is encouraging is that 70 per cent of the vaccinations
delivered at the Bunnings pop-up clinics were first doses. Our number of first
doses continues to climb. But as the number of the remaining population left to
be vaccinated decreases, the rollout and the numbers being vaccinated each day
will, by definition almost, decline. Therefore, obviously, as we get towards
the pointy end, it will become a bit more difficult to reach the people who are
perhaps most difficult to reach.
I
am confident that we will hit our vaccination targets. The majority of Western Australians,
certainly by vaccination rates, recognise that the plan is safe and provides
certainty. Our modelling shows that it will save 200 lives. By putting in place the measures that we have put in place, first, we are saving lives;
second, we are saving the vulnerable; and, third, we are keeping critical
industries going, which is why we have put in place vaccination mandates around
certain industries in Western Australia.
My
message to those who are opposing and undermining our vaccination efforts is
that the government will not be deterred.
We will keep on going. We will ensure that we get Western Australians
vaccinated. The government is resolute about keeping Western Australians safe. We will not give in to threats. We are
not going to be bullied or intimidated by people. Crazy actions, as we have
seen recently, are not going to work to stop the government doing what we need
to do. Our commitment is to protect Western Australians and protect our unique
way of life, and that will not shift.
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