❓ Mr. Blayney questions the Premier about the health and economic advice used for regional border restrictions related to COVID-19. The Premier defends the government's decisions, citing advice from the Chief Health Officer and Commissioner of Police, and accuses other members of parliament of political opportunism and inconsistency.
AnsweredQoN 266Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
CORONAVIRUS —
INTRASTATE TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS
266. Mr I.C. BLAYNEY to the Premier:
I refer to Geraldton and
communities to the north remaining cut off from Perth under COVID-19
restrictions.
(1) Will the
Premier table the health and economic advice the government is using to make
decisions on regional border restrictions?
(2) If not, is
the review of border restrictions dependent on maintaining a COVID-free status
for a time; and, if so, what is that time?
INTRASTATE TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS
266. Mr I.C. BLAYNEY to the Premier:
I refer to Geraldton and
communities to the north remaining cut off from Perth under COVID-19
restrictions.
(1) Will the
Premier table the health and economic advice the government is using to make
decisions on regional border restrictions?
(2) If not, is
the review of border restrictions dependent on maintaining a COVID-free status
for a time; and, if so, what is that time?
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(2) I appreciate the question. I understand that the
member for Geraldton has asked it with the best of intentions of the
many small businesses in his community and regional communities, in particular,
to the north of the state. It was a very difficult decision. The government
consulted extensively on this arrangement with the Chief Health Officer of Western
Australia and the Commissioner of Police. There were really two alternatives:
we could have left in place for longer the borders that are currently in place
or we could have gone to the arrangement that we have gone to. That was the
advice of the Chief Health Officer. The reason we have changed and gone to the arrangement that will kick in on 18 May
is on the advice that that is a safer mechanism that allows for some
movement but still allows for some tracing of people and their movement more easily than if we were to open up the entire
state or, indeed, the north of the state, to further movement for people
from Perth.
The
reasons we put the initial arrangement in place is that, first, we got advice
from the Chief Health Officer that it would slow down and stop movement
around the state, which is, of course, one of the ways that the virus is
transmitted, and, second, regional people were calling for it. A lot of
regional people were calling for it, including the Nationals WA, extensively.
Very recently, the Nationals were calling for it to remain in place. In fact, I
have an article here —
Several members interjected.
Mr M. McGOWAN : I am just
pointing this out because perhaps the member for Geraldton does not know. I have
an article from the Countryman of 30 April, headed ''Nats want
regional travel bans to remain''. As recently as less than two weeks
ago, the Nationals were calling for the arrangements that are currently in
place to stay in place. The member's colleague, the member for North West
Central, was demanding that we put in place regional borders. Indeed, the
member for North West Central, who I note is not here today, put out a —
Mr R.S. Love : He is.
Mr M. McGOWAN : He is outside.
All right; I hope he is watching. He put out this notice, with the
parliamentary crest on the top, implying it was some decision of the
Parliament, which states —
GASCOYNE REGION
�
URGENT NOTICE
�
STOP non-essential travel
This means YOU
MUST RETURN HOME
Let's all stay safe &
keep our distance �.
He put out that statement, saying
that any tourist or visitor must stop and go home. Last week, he put out a press release in which he was demanding—I
have a copy of it here—that the Gascoyne–Murchison and the
Pilbara regions should join. That is all. I note that yesterday he was
demanding that the Gascoyne–Murchison, the Pilbara and the midwest
should be joined to Perth. It is very inconsistent of MPs to demand one set of
arrangements one day and then, for political expediency, demand another set of
arrangements a few days later.
Ms M.J. Davies : He got what
he wanted.
Mr
M. McGOWAN : He got more than he
asked for. He only asked for the Gascoyne–Murchison and Pilbara to be
joined; we went midwest, Gascoyne–Murchison and Pilbara. We are doing
this to protect people's lives. It is not the time for that sort of
politicking. I know the member for Geraldton, who is a very principled and
decent member of Parliament, would not do that, but the member for North West
Central has put out stuff like that. I say to members of Parliament: be
patient. We will get there as a state, provided we continue to have low rates
of infection. We expect that from 18 May, within three to four weeks, to have
further changes in place.
member for Geraldton has asked it with the best of intentions of the
many small businesses in his community and regional communities, in particular,
to the north of the state. It was a very difficult decision. The government
consulted extensively on this arrangement with the Chief Health Officer of Western
Australia and the Commissioner of Police. There were really two alternatives:
we could have left in place for longer the borders that are currently in place
or we could have gone to the arrangement that we have gone to. That was the
advice of the Chief Health Officer. The reason we have changed and gone to the arrangement that will kick in on 18 May
is on the advice that that is a safer mechanism that allows for some
movement but still allows for some tracing of people and their movement more easily than if we were to open up the entire
state or, indeed, the north of the state, to further movement for people
from Perth.
The
reasons we put the initial arrangement in place is that, first, we got advice
from the Chief Health Officer that it would slow down and stop movement
around the state, which is, of course, one of the ways that the virus is
transmitted, and, second, regional people were calling for it. A lot of
regional people were calling for it, including the Nationals WA, extensively.
Very recently, the Nationals were calling for it to remain in place. In fact, I
have an article here —
Several members interjected.
Mr M. McGOWAN : I am just
pointing this out because perhaps the member for Geraldton does not know. I have
an article from the Countryman of 30 April, headed ''Nats want
regional travel bans to remain''. As recently as less than two weeks
ago, the Nationals were calling for the arrangements that are currently in
place to stay in place. The member's colleague, the member for North West
Central, was demanding that we put in place regional borders. Indeed, the
member for North West Central, who I note is not here today, put out a —
Mr R.S. Love : He is.
Mr M. McGOWAN : He is outside.
All right; I hope he is watching. He put out this notice, with the
parliamentary crest on the top, implying it was some decision of the
Parliament, which states —
GASCOYNE REGION
�
URGENT NOTICE
�
STOP non-essential travel
This means YOU
MUST RETURN HOME
Let's all stay safe &
keep our distance �.
He put out that statement, saying
that any tourist or visitor must stop and go home. Last week, he put out a press release in which he was demanding—I
have a copy of it here—that the Gascoyne–Murchison and the
Pilbara regions should join. That is all. I note that yesterday he was
demanding that the Gascoyne–Murchison, the Pilbara and the midwest
should be joined to Perth. It is very inconsistent of MPs to demand one set of
arrangements one day and then, for political expediency, demand another set of
arrangements a few days later.
Ms M.J. Davies : He got what
he wanted.
Mr
M. McGOWAN : He got more than he
asked for. He only asked for the Gascoyne–Murchison and Pilbara to be
joined; we went midwest, Gascoyne–Murchison and Pilbara. We are doing
this to protect people's lives. It is not the time for that sort of
politicking. I know the member for Geraldton, who is a very principled and
decent member of Parliament, would not do that, but the member for North West
Central has put out stuff like that. I say to members of Parliament: be
patient. We will get there as a state, provided we continue to have low rates
of infection. We expect that from 18 May, within three to four weeks, to have
further changes in place.
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