❓ Mr. Catania asks the Premier to commit to reopening internal borders a month before the July school holidays to aid regional businesses. The Premier responds cautiously, highlighting the success of WA's COVID-19 response and the need for medical advice before further easing restrictions.
AnsweredQoN 315Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
CORONAVIRUS —
INTRASTATE TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS
315. Mr V.A. CATANIA to the Premier:
I have a supplementary question.
Will the Premier commit to reopening internal borders at least a month ahead of
the July school holidays so that regional businesses in the state's
north have enough time to prepare for visitation to resume?
INTRASTATE TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS
315. Mr V.A. CATANIA to the Premier:
I have a supplementary question.
Will the Premier commit to reopening internal borders at least a month ahead of
the July school holidays so that regional businesses in the state's
north have enough time to prepare for visitation to resume?
AnswerView source ↗
We will provide advice to regional
communities as soon as we can. Bear in mind that a lot of regional communities,
in fact, regional members of Parliament, like the member for North West
Central, were demanding we shut down the borders as soon as possible.
Mr V.A. Catania interjected.
Mr M. McGOWAN : The member was
demanding that we do that. We took health advice in relation to that and we did the right thing by regional communities
across the state. I might add, there have been a lot of people working on this—our police and State Emergency Service volunteers, and we have
had some Army resources provided to us. Lots of people, hundreds in fact, have
been working on this to keep our state safe.
It would be fair to say that the
results in Western Australia have been nothing short of outstanding. Compared
with anywhere else in the world, our results have been absolutely outstanding. Western
Australians have embraced the rules in ways that people in other states and
other countries have not. I want to give credit to Western Australians; they
have been absolutely fantastic throughout this period. Regional communities
have been great. Regional businesses, city businesses, and city employees—people
have been so understanding of what has taken place. Overwhelmingly, people do
not bear a grudge or hostility; they are just very happy that Western Australia's
performance has been so good compared with that in other states and other
nations around the world.
I do not want to jeopardise that. If
we have an outbreak and we have to shut things down or if, God forbid, people
die, that would be an appalling outcome. That is why we treat these things
cautiously in accordance with the medical advice we receive, and I think that
is a reasonable way forward. As soon as we can get advice and direction to
regional communities that provides them with that opportunity for tourism
business and other opportunities, we will do that. As it currently stands in
areas around regional WA, many are now open to far greater custom than they had
before; in fact, every region is now open to far greater custom than they had
before. Cafes, restaurants, libraries, swimming pools and the like are all able
to open. That is a significant advance on what was in place before. As soon as
we can provide advice on greater measures, we will provide that.
I
just want to repeat to the house: one of the last measures we will bring down
is the hard border with the east, because that is one thing that gives
us the capacity to better open up industries and regions within Western Australia.
People who suggest that we should bring down the hard border with the east too
soon are just being irresponsible with the health of Western Australians.
communities as soon as we can. Bear in mind that a lot of regional communities,
in fact, regional members of Parliament, like the member for North West
Central, were demanding we shut down the borders as soon as possible.
Mr V.A. Catania interjected.
Mr M. McGOWAN : The member was
demanding that we do that. We took health advice in relation to that and we did the right thing by regional communities
across the state. I might add, there have been a lot of people working on this—our police and State Emergency Service volunteers, and we have
had some Army resources provided to us. Lots of people, hundreds in fact, have
been working on this to keep our state safe.
It would be fair to say that the
results in Western Australia have been nothing short of outstanding. Compared
with anywhere else in the world, our results have been absolutely outstanding. Western
Australians have embraced the rules in ways that people in other states and
other countries have not. I want to give credit to Western Australians; they
have been absolutely fantastic throughout this period. Regional communities
have been great. Regional businesses, city businesses, and city employees—people
have been so understanding of what has taken place. Overwhelmingly, people do
not bear a grudge or hostility; they are just very happy that Western Australia's
performance has been so good compared with that in other states and other
nations around the world.
I do not want to jeopardise that. If
we have an outbreak and we have to shut things down or if, God forbid, people
die, that would be an appalling outcome. That is why we treat these things
cautiously in accordance with the medical advice we receive, and I think that
is a reasonable way forward. As soon as we can get advice and direction to
regional communities that provides them with that opportunity for tourism
business and other opportunities, we will do that. As it currently stands in
areas around regional WA, many are now open to far greater custom than they had
before; in fact, every region is now open to far greater custom than they had
before. Cafes, restaurants, libraries, swimming pools and the like are all able
to open. That is a significant advance on what was in place before. As soon as
we can provide advice on greater measures, we will provide that.
I
just want to repeat to the house: one of the last measures we will bring down
is the hard border with the east, because that is one thing that gives
us the capacity to better open up industries and regions within Western Australia.
People who suggest that we should bring down the hard border with the east too
soon are just being irresponsible with the health of Western Australians.
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