❓ Ms. Davies asks the Premier for a timeline regarding border reopening, considering high vaccination rates. The Premier avoids a specific date, defends the government's COVID-19 response, and criticises the opposition's past stances.
AnsweredQoN 2Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
CORONAVIRUS —
INTERSTATE BORDER RESTRICTIONS
2. Ms M.J. DAVIES to the Premier:
I have a supplementary question.
Given that we have some of the highest vaccination rates in the nation and are
on track for high levels of third boosters by March, how much notice will the
Premier give the people of Western Australia of this yet-to-be-announced date
so that they can start to plan and prepare for borders to reopen?
INTERSTATE BORDER RESTRICTIONS
2. Ms M.J. DAVIES to the Premier:
I have a supplementary question.
Given that we have some of the highest vaccination rates in the nation and are
on track for high levels of third boosters by March, how much notice will the
Premier give the people of Western Australia of this yet-to-be-announced date
so that they can start to plan and prepare for borders to reopen?
AnswerView source ↗
As I said before, we are currently
conducting a review. When we reach an outcome, that will provide us with the
opportunity to provide some direction and certainty for Western Australia. I do
not think that is unreasonable to do that. Currently, our community spread of
the virus in Western Australia, by national standards, is quite low because of
the measures that we have put in place. When we conclude the review, which will
take into account all those factors I outlined
before, we will be able to provide some advice and certainty to people. I note
that in Parliament the Leader of the Opposition and the shadow Minister
for Health, the member for Vasse, both said that they would not be critical if we changed the date. They both
said on a number of occasions that they would not be critical if w e
changed the date based upon circumstances. I note now that they have changed
their position on that.
Obviously, the thing about COVID is
that it is not a certain environment. Had we followed everything the Liberals
and Nationals and other elements of the community called for over the course of
the last two years, lots of Western Australians would now be dead. The
opposition called for all sorts of things. The Liberal Party joined Clive Palmer
in his actions in the High Court. The former Liberal leader, the former member
for Scarborough, who is no longer here, was out there on the front steps of
Parliament House backing him.
We have had to do what was required.
A government, particularly in a pandemic, requires people who are prepared to
do difficult things. I know. I get criticised every day at length. A group of
people out the front of Parliament House—or out the back of Parliament
House, I think, today—are criticising what we have done. But I tell you
what, I would not undo saving Western Australian lives no matter what they say.
Saving Western Australian lives and saving Western Australian jobs is my job,
and I am going to continue to do that.
conducting a review. When we reach an outcome, that will provide us with the
opportunity to provide some direction and certainty for Western Australia. I do
not think that is unreasonable to do that. Currently, our community spread of
the virus in Western Australia, by national standards, is quite low because of
the measures that we have put in place. When we conclude the review, which will
take into account all those factors I outlined
before, we will be able to provide some advice and certainty to people. I note
that in Parliament the Leader of the Opposition and the shadow Minister
for Health, the member for Vasse, both said that they would not be critical if we changed the date. They both
said on a number of occasions that they would not be critical if w e
changed the date based upon circumstances. I note now that they have changed
their position on that.
Obviously, the thing about COVID is
that it is not a certain environment. Had we followed everything the Liberals
and Nationals and other elements of the community called for over the course of
the last two years, lots of Western Australians would now be dead. The
opposition called for all sorts of things. The Liberal Party joined Clive Palmer
in his actions in the High Court. The former Liberal leader, the former member
for Scarborough, who is no longer here, was out there on the front steps of
Parliament House backing him.
We have had to do what was required.
A government, particularly in a pandemic, requires people who are prepared to
do difficult things. I know. I get criticised every day at length. A group of
people out the front of Parliament House—or out the back of Parliament
House, I think, today—are criticising what we have done. But I tell you
what, I would not undo saving Western Australian lives no matter what they say.
Saving Western Australian lives and saving Western Australian jobs is my job,
and I am going to continue to do that.
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