❓ The Premier outlines eased COVID-19 restrictions and support for small businesses impacted by the Anzac Day weekend lockdown, highlighting zero new local cases and a $2,000 grant program.
AnsweredQoN 42Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
CORONAVIRUS — RESTRICTIONS — EASING
42. Mr S.N. AUBREY to the Premier:
Thank you.
I
refer to the easing of COVID-19 restrictions announced a short time ago. Can
the Premier outline to the house what these
transitional restrictions will mean for Western Australians and why they are
needed; and can the Premier update the house on the state government support
for small businesses impacted by the Anzac Day weekend lockdown?
42. Mr S.N. AUBREY to the Premier:
Thank you.
I
refer to the easing of COVID-19 restrictions announced a short time ago. Can
the Premier outline to the house what these
transitional restrictions will mean for Western Australians and why they are
needed; and can the Premier update the house on the state government support
for small businesses impacted by the Anzac Day weekend lockdown?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for Scarborough
and congratulate him and all the new members on their first speeches and the outstanding job they have been doing. I congratulate
the member for Scarborough on his victory at the state election.
I
thank all Western Australians for their patience and understanding of what has
been going on over the last fortnight or so. We have had some
outstanding work done by our contact tracers and testing regime. We recorded
zero new local cases of COVID-19 overnight and all close contacts associated
with the Pan Pacific Perth case have tested negative. This is the result that
we needed. From 12.01 on Saturday morning, restrictions will be eased back to
what they were last Saturday, with a few exceptions. From Saturday morning
onwards, masks will now only be required on public transport, at events with
more than 1 000 people and in hospitals and disability and aged-care facilities.
This is a significant relaxation on the wearing of masks. High school students
will not be required to wear masks either. Masks will not be required in gyms
or other fitness venues or at work as of Saturday morning. Optus Stadium will
return to 75 per cent capacity, and visitors to hospitals, aged-care facilities
and disability centres will be limited to four visitors per day, but masks are
mandatory. This is based upon health advice across Perth and Peel and it has
been able to be achieved because of the outstanding results that have been
secured over the last fortnight or so.
In
relation to small business, last week I announced that a new grant would be
made available to small businesses in Perth
and Peel that were directly impacted by the lockdown. There is a register now
open to access the small business lockdown assistance grants program for
a $2 000 grant, and that is for businesses impacted by the Anzac Day weekend lockdown. This will help a range of
businesses—cafes, restaurants, pubs, nightclubs, gyms, fitness centres ,
florists, cinemas, the events industry and others. It will be a one-off
targeted program for small business. We estimate that around 15 000 businesses
will be eligible and we want to the make sure that we provide support for those
businesses that were impacted. Obviously, across Western Australia over the
course of the last year or so our economy has been the envy of Australia and
the world, and we want that to continue. We also want to make sure that the small businesses that were impacted
by what occurred receive the benefit of some government support . Obviously, it will not go as far as some people or
some organisations might like, but it is consistent with what has been
done in other states and it is a good program that I am sure many small
businesses will seek to obtain a benefit from.
and congratulate him and all the new members on their first speeches and the outstanding job they have been doing. I congratulate
the member for Scarborough on his victory at the state election.
I
thank all Western Australians for their patience and understanding of what has
been going on over the last fortnight or so. We have had some
outstanding work done by our contact tracers and testing regime. We recorded
zero new local cases of COVID-19 overnight and all close contacts associated
with the Pan Pacific Perth case have tested negative. This is the result that
we needed. From 12.01 on Saturday morning, restrictions will be eased back to
what they were last Saturday, with a few exceptions. From Saturday morning
onwards, masks will now only be required on public transport, at events with
more than 1 000 people and in hospitals and disability and aged-care facilities.
This is a significant relaxation on the wearing of masks. High school students
will not be required to wear masks either. Masks will not be required in gyms
or other fitness venues or at work as of Saturday morning. Optus Stadium will
return to 75 per cent capacity, and visitors to hospitals, aged-care facilities
and disability centres will be limited to four visitors per day, but masks are
mandatory. This is based upon health advice across Perth and Peel and it has
been able to be achieved because of the outstanding results that have been
secured over the last fortnight or so.
In
relation to small business, last week I announced that a new grant would be
made available to small businesses in Perth
and Peel that were directly impacted by the lockdown. There is a register now
open to access the small business lockdown assistance grants program for
a $2 000 grant, and that is for businesses impacted by the Anzac Day weekend lockdown. This will help a range of
businesses—cafes, restaurants, pubs, nightclubs, gyms, fitness centres ,
florists, cinemas, the events industry and others. It will be a one-off
targeted program for small business. We estimate that around 15 000 businesses
will be eligible and we want to the make sure that we provide support for those
businesses that were impacted. Obviously, across Western Australia over the
course of the last year or so our economy has been the envy of Australia and
the world, and we want that to continue. We also want to make sure that the small businesses that were impacted
by what occurred receive the benefit of some government support . Obviously, it will not go as far as some people or
some organisations might like, but it is consistent with what has been
done in other states and it is a good program that I am sure many small
businesses will seek to obtain a benefit from.
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