❓ Mr Rundle asks the Premier for clarity on when Level 2 COVID restrictions might change. The Premier deflects, criticises the opposition's questioning, and defends the government's COVID response by comparing WA's outcomes favourably to South Australia's.
AnsweredQoN 156Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
CORONAVIRUS — LEVEL 2 RESTRICTIONS
156. Mr P.J. RUNDLE to the Premier:
I
have a supplementary question. The Chief Health Officer released the initial
modelling and then he released another statement saying that there would
be further modelling. Can the Premier give some clarity for our businesses and
families on when they might see these levels of restrictions changed?
156. Mr P.J. RUNDLE to the Premier:
I
have a supplementary question. The Chief Health Officer released the initial
modelling and then he released another statement saying that there would
be further modelling. Can the Premier give some clarity for our businesses and
families on when they might see these levels of restrictions changed?
AnswerView source ↗
The opposition needs some assistance
with its questions. I have outlined that to members opposite before. Over the
last five years, it has not got any better.
In any event, as I said before, we
have released modelling; it is out there and it has been published. We release
ongoing figures of the hospitalisation rates every week, including the number
of people who are vaccinated and so forth, which provides all that evidence and
advice. We will provide advice on level 2 restrictions in the lead-up to 1 April.
As I said, I am very keen to get us out of level 2 restrictions as soon as I can.
I have made that public on numerous occasions because I know it is debilitating
and difficult for businesses. At the same time as we are doing all that, we are
getting world-leading figures when it comes to vaccination and hospitalisation
rates, for which we should all be very proud.
Other
states of Australia are not getting the same outcomes that we are. It is really
clear why. We can look at what people did in South Australia. They opened in
November. They had massive lockdowns and all sorts of terrible economic consequences from that in December, January and
February. South Australia then had a huge rate of hospitalisation and hundreds of people died. That is what the
South Australian government did, and it wondered why the public rebelled against it on Saturday. I know why. It is pretty
clear what occurred. On the other hand, contrary to you, the then opposition
leader in South Australia, the now Premier, was actually constructive over the
last two years. He went out there and he did press conference after press
conference, backing the government over the last two years, unlike you. If the member for Roe wants to look for an example
of someone to aspire to, he should look at the new South Australian Premier, although I do not think he could match
him in some things! I urge him to look in that direction as someone to aspire
to and maybe the way he might conduct himself rather than constantly nitpicking
and undermining.
with its questions. I have outlined that to members opposite before. Over the
last five years, it has not got any better.
In any event, as I said before, we
have released modelling; it is out there and it has been published. We release
ongoing figures of the hospitalisation rates every week, including the number
of people who are vaccinated and so forth, which provides all that evidence and
advice. We will provide advice on level 2 restrictions in the lead-up to 1 April.
As I said, I am very keen to get us out of level 2 restrictions as soon as I can.
I have made that public on numerous occasions because I know it is debilitating
and difficult for businesses. At the same time as we are doing all that, we are
getting world-leading figures when it comes to vaccination and hospitalisation
rates, for which we should all be very proud.
Other
states of Australia are not getting the same outcomes that we are. It is really
clear why. We can look at what people did in South Australia. They opened in
November. They had massive lockdowns and all sorts of terrible economic consequences from that in December, January and
February. South Australia then had a huge rate of hospitalisation and hundreds of people died. That is what the
South Australian government did, and it wondered why the public rebelled against it on Saturday. I know why. It is pretty
clear what occurred. On the other hand, contrary to you, the then opposition
leader in South Australia, the now Premier, was actually constructive over the
last two years. He went out there and he did press conference after press
conference, backing the government over the last two years, unlike you. If the member for Roe wants to look for an example
of someone to aspire to, he should look at the new South Australian Premier, although I do not think he could match
him in some things! I urge him to look in that direction as someone to aspire
to and maybe the way he might conduct himself rather than constantly nitpicking
and undermining.
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