❓ Ms. Davies questions the Premier about a breach of trust regarding the SafeWA app and its impact on public confidence. The Premier defends the government's actions, citing the pandemic response and criticising the opposition.
AnsweredQoN 208Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
SAFEWA APP — ACCESS — POLICE INVESTIGATION
208. Ms M.J. DAVIES to the Premier:
I have a supplementary question.
Premier, do you concede that your government's breach of trust with the Western Australian community will now make
it far more difficult to ensure that people use the SafeWA app, a vital
line of defence in any future COVID-19 outbreak?
208. Ms M.J. DAVIES to the Premier:
I have a supplementary question.
Premier, do you concede that your government's breach of trust with the Western Australian community will now make
it far more difficult to ensure that people use the SafeWA app, a vital
line of defence in any future COVID-19 outbreak?
AnswerView source ↗
No, I do not. I will just explain
it again. Over the course of the last 18 months, we have had to act very
quickly to do all sorts of things—scores,
if not hundreds of things—the health minister and I in particular, but
also senior officers within the public sector. The police commissioner
has been simply outstanding in the work that he has done. Our health officials, our public servants, people
across government, they have all been outstanding. The results are there for all to see. We have one of the best results in both a health sense and
economically of anywhere in the entire world, probably the best outcome of
anywhere in the entire world.
Over the course of that 18 months,
the Liberals and Nationals of course have undermined it the whole way along.
Several members interjected.
Mr M. McGOWAN : That is why
there are six of you sitting there out of 59.
Ms M.J. Davies : You are
deflecting, Premier; this was your mistake.
Mr M. McGOWAN : Have a look
at yourselves and the way you have behaved over the course of the last 18 months.
Dr D.J. Honey interjected.
Mr M. McGOWAN : We are in the
High Court today with Clive Palmer, your friend, who was part of that undermining with you. One half of the Liberal
Party is complaining over there, and the other half of the Liberal Party sits silent. That is because they are having this war, where one is trying to
out the other as being responsible for their disastrous energy policy. Look at
them—sitting there not even looking at one another!
We put in place measures very
quickly to try to deal with an extraordinary situation. We did our best in
difficult circumstances. It came to our attention that on two occasions out of
over 200 million uses of the app, police had sought
information in particular in relation to a murder. We did not want that to
happen, because we want people to have confidence in the app. But I do
understand that police have a duty and a role to perform, particularly to solve
murders. That is what has occurred. We tried to resolve it in a sort of
negotiated way, but the police abide by the law as it currently stands. So we
are now seeking to amend the law to put the issue completely beyond doubt. That
is what has occurred. We have come out and explained it. We have not left it
hidden. We have not left it behind closed doors. We have come out and explained
it. We just want to be clear and honest and open with the people of Western Australia
that it is safe to use the app, and that we are doing the best we can in
difficult circumstances, but we have the utmost respect for the police and the
job they do.
it again. Over the course of the last 18 months, we have had to act very
quickly to do all sorts of things—scores,
if not hundreds of things—the health minister and I in particular, but
also senior officers within the public sector. The police commissioner
has been simply outstanding in the work that he has done. Our health officials, our public servants, people
across government, they have all been outstanding. The results are there for all to see. We have one of the best results in both a health sense and
economically of anywhere in the entire world, probably the best outcome of
anywhere in the entire world.
Over the course of that 18 months,
the Liberals and Nationals of course have undermined it the whole way along.
Several members interjected.
Mr M. McGOWAN : That is why
there are six of you sitting there out of 59.
Ms M.J. Davies : You are
deflecting, Premier; this was your mistake.
Mr M. McGOWAN : Have a look
at yourselves and the way you have behaved over the course of the last 18 months.
Dr D.J. Honey interjected.
Mr M. McGOWAN : We are in the
High Court today with Clive Palmer, your friend, who was part of that undermining with you. One half of the Liberal
Party is complaining over there, and the other half of the Liberal Party sits silent. That is because they are having this war, where one is trying to
out the other as being responsible for their disastrous energy policy. Look at
them—sitting there not even looking at one another!
We put in place measures very
quickly to try to deal with an extraordinary situation. We did our best in
difficult circumstances. It came to our attention that on two occasions out of
over 200 million uses of the app, police had sought
information in particular in relation to a murder. We did not want that to
happen, because we want people to have confidence in the app. But I do
understand that police have a duty and a role to perform, particularly to solve
murders. That is what has occurred. We tried to resolve it in a sort of
negotiated way, but the police abide by the law as it currently stands. So we
are now seeking to amend the law to put the issue completely beyond doubt. That
is what has occurred. We have come out and explained it. We have not left it
hidden. We have not left it behind closed doors. We have come out and explained
it. We just want to be clear and honest and open with the people of Western Australia
that it is safe to use the app, and that we are doing the best we can in
difficult circumstances, but we have the utmost respect for the police and the
job they do.
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