❓ The Premier responds to questions regarding health advice, social distancing on public transport, and restrictions on small businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic, emphasising a graduated approach and reliance on public cooperation while prioritising health advice.
AnsweredQoN 346Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
CORONAVIRUS —
PUBLIC TRANSPORT
346. Ms L. METTAM to the Premier:
I have a supplementary question. Is
the Premier going to table the health advice, and why is social distancing not
a major risk on public transport, yet it is the major reason that many Western Australian
small businesses remain closed or have their trade restricted?
PUBLIC TRANSPORT
346. Ms L. METTAM to the Premier:
I have a supplementary question. Is
the Premier going to table the health advice, and why is social distancing not
a major risk on public transport, yet it is the major reason that many Western Australian
small businesses remain closed or have their trade restricted?
AnswerView source ↗
I am advised that the advice upon
which the minister is relying is published on the Public Transport Authority
website. As I have said on a number of occasions, we are putting in place a graduated
and careful response. Nothing is perfect or ideal, and as we go through this
process, there will be inconsistencies. That has been the case for the last
three months. I have said that every day; nothing is perfect. There were only
two perfect solutions in which everything was entirely consistent. One was to
do nothing. The other was that everyone was locked into their homes and not
allowed out. Those are the two perfect solutions. Other than that, everything
has nuance and points of criticism. That is
a process we have been through, and I have explained that, many, many times.
The reality is that Western Australians overwhelmingly, unlike people in
other states and countries, have done the right thing. We have relied upon the
good sense, good grace and courtesy, politeness and willingness of Western Australians
to do the right thing as we go along.
We have obviously opened up small
businesses to a greater degree than any other state. We have allowed more
activity in our businesses than has any other state in Australia, and we expect
we will be able to do more, assuming continued low rates of infection, in the
future.
The real crisis, and the one for
which, no doubt, the opposition would lay lots of criticism on the government
would be if we were to ignore the medical advice and the state were to have an
outbreak. Then opposition members would come
in here demanding to know why we did that. We have worked very constructively.
I have an hour-long meeting every morning with the Chief Health Officer
of Western Australia—every morning, Monday through to Sunday. Seven days a week, I meet with the Chief
Health Officer, either in person or online, for an hour, and on many days
for more than an hour, to discuss all these issues. The Minister for Health
does so as well every day with the Commissioner
of Police. We do that every day and we often have more than one conversation or
meeting throughout the course of the day. We understand this is a pretty
big issue, and we understand that many people have suffered as a consequence.
We want to alleviate that suffering as soon as we can within the health advice,
but we do not want to do something outside of health advice and then again have
to close businesses or communities or regions. I think that is eminently
sensible, although it lends itself to some criticism from people around the
state. I notice people in some parts of Western Australia are critical—some
violently critical—but we are trying to do the right thing by the
health and welfare of the people of Western Australia and that will allow us to
get our economy up as soon as we can and protect us from people interstate or
overseas who might bring the virus here.
which the minister is relying is published on the Public Transport Authority
website. As I have said on a number of occasions, we are putting in place a graduated
and careful response. Nothing is perfect or ideal, and as we go through this
process, there will be inconsistencies. That has been the case for the last
three months. I have said that every day; nothing is perfect. There were only
two perfect solutions in which everything was entirely consistent. One was to
do nothing. The other was that everyone was locked into their homes and not
allowed out. Those are the two perfect solutions. Other than that, everything
has nuance and points of criticism. That is
a process we have been through, and I have explained that, many, many times.
The reality is that Western Australians overwhelmingly, unlike people in
other states and countries, have done the right thing. We have relied upon the
good sense, good grace and courtesy, politeness and willingness of Western Australians
to do the right thing as we go along.
We have obviously opened up small
businesses to a greater degree than any other state. We have allowed more
activity in our businesses than has any other state in Australia, and we expect
we will be able to do more, assuming continued low rates of infection, in the
future.
The real crisis, and the one for
which, no doubt, the opposition would lay lots of criticism on the government
would be if we were to ignore the medical advice and the state were to have an
outbreak. Then opposition members would come
in here demanding to know why we did that. We have worked very constructively.
I have an hour-long meeting every morning with the Chief Health Officer
of Western Australia—every morning, Monday through to Sunday. Seven days a week, I meet with the Chief
Health Officer, either in person or online, for an hour, and on many days
for more than an hour, to discuss all these issues. The Minister for Health
does so as well every day with the Commissioner
of Police. We do that every day and we often have more than one conversation or
meeting throughout the course of the day. We understand this is a pretty
big issue, and we understand that many people have suffered as a consequence.
We want to alleviate that suffering as soon as we can within the health advice,
but we do not want to do something outside of health advice and then again have
to close businesses or communities or regions. I think that is eminently
sensible, although it lends itself to some criticism from people around the
state. I notice people in some parts of Western Australia are critical—some
violently critical—but we are trying to do the right thing by the
health and welfare of the people of Western Australia and that will allow us to
get our economy up as soon as we can and protect us from people interstate or
overseas who might bring the virus here.
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