Opposition asks why COVID-19 clinics haven't been established in Perth's northern suburbs. Premier accuses opposition of politicising the issue and outlines government's response and collaboration with the Commonwealth.

AnsweredQoN 127Legislative Assembly
Asked
11 March 2020
Portfolio
Premier

QuestionView source ↗

CORONAVIRUS —
COVID-19 CLINICS — NORTHERN SUBURBS
127. Mr Z.R.F. KIRKUP to the Premier:
Why have dedicated COVID-19 clinics
not been established in the northern suburbs of Perth to service the people of
Joondalup, Hillarys, Wanneroo, Burns Beach, Kingsley and surrounds, or is this
just another example of the Premier and his government being weeks late as
identified by the Australian Medical Association?

AnswerView source ↗

Once
again, the opposition is showing that it likes to politicise and to
scaremonger. This is not a time for that. It is not a time for this sort of
behaviour. I urge the opposition to start showing a little bit of maturity
about these matters. Yesterday we opened three COVID clinics—one at Sir
Charles Gairdner Hospital, one at Fiona Stanley Hospital and one at
Royal Perth Hospital. In the first answer today, the Minister for Health said,
and we have been saying now for probably about a week, that we will be rolling
out more across the suburbs and into regional WA over time. But, obviously,
there are big efforts to get the COVID clinics underway and we are doing it as
quickly as we can.
We
are also working with the commonwealth. As I said, on Saturday I had a good
conversation with the Prime Minister about these matters about the
cost-sharing arrangement. I note the commonwealth has announced funding for
these sorts of purposes today and I welcome
that. I want to see a bipartisan approach on these matters. I am working hand in glove with the Prime Minister. The health minister is working hand in glove
with Greg Hunt. The Treasurer is working hand in glove with Josh Frydenberg on
all these matters. That is what we are doing as a government. We do not need this nitpicking and politicising, and
trying to score a cheap point by getting an article in some community newspaper to demonstrate its worth, which appears to be what the opposition is
doing.

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