CORONAVIRUS —
INTERSTATE AND INTERNATIONAL BORDER RESTRICTIONS
954. Hon PETER COLLIER to
the Leader of the House representing the Premier:
My question is asked on behalf of
Hon Michael Mischin, who is on urgent parliamentary business.
Further to the Premier's
response to my question without notice 929 asked on 16 September regarding Western
Australians being forced into hotel isolation at their own expense, I ask the
following.
(1) Does the
Premier acknowledge that it imposes a financial burden and hardship on Western Australians?
(2) If so, did
the Premier foresee that it would do so when the matter was decided by national
cabinet?
(3) Does the Premier support that
decision of national cabinet; and, if so, why?
(4) Given that
the Premier boasts of reserving to himself the discretion to act in the
interests of Western Australians, if necessary in defiance of the wishes of
other jurisdictions, why does he not relieve our citizens of this burden by
drawing on the alleged foreshadowed budget surplus?
(5) What does
mobilising the Australian Defence Force have to do with my question 929, part
(3), about Western Australians paying for hotel isolation?
Hon SUE
ELLERY replied:
I thank the honourable member for some
notice of the question.
(1)–(5) It is entirely
reasonable that people returning to Australia pay their own quarantine
expenses.