CORONAVIRUS —
STATE ECONOMY
158. Hon PETER COLLIER to
the minister representing the Treasurer:
I refer to the economic impact of
COVID-19 on the Western Australian economy.
(1) Has the government
undertaken any assessment on the impact of COVID-19 on the Western Australian
economy?
(2) If yes to
(1), what is the expected impact on gross state product, state final demand and
employment, and the total cost to the economy?
(3) Which sectors
of the economy are most likely to be impacted?
Hon
STEPHEN DAWSON replied:
I thank the Leader of the Opposition
for some notice of the question. The following answer has been provided by the
Treasurer.
(1) The
Department of Treasury and other agencies are closely monitoring the impact of
COVID-19 on the Western Australian economy.
(2) There is
considerable uncertainty as to how the COVID-19 outbreak will evolve, and, as
such, there is a wide range of possible outcomes for the state's
economy. As the impacts become clearer, they will be reflected in the 2020–21
state budget.
(3) To date, the
sectors that have been most immediately impacted are tourism, international
education and agriculture, in particular the rock lobster industry.