CORONAVIRUS —
TOURISM — INTERSTATE TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS
441. Mrs
L.M. HARVEY to the Premier:
I
have a supplementary question. How many more Wendys from Geraldton Air Charter,
Simons from Inspiration Outdoors and Rons from Cable Beach Caravan Park
does the Premier have to hear about before he provides additional support for
these small businesses and some opportunities for travel from our border states
with no community spread of COVID-19?
Mr M.
McGOWAN replied:
I have explained many times how
both the commonwealth and the state have advice that having an arrangement with South Australia would, firstly, have very
little economic benefit for the state and, secondly, be unconstitutional.
I have explained that to the Leader of the Opposition many times. If we were to
lift the border restrictions with the east, which the Liberal Party wants us to
do immediately —
Mrs L.M. Harvey: With the NT
and South Australia.
The SPEAKER: Leader of the
Opposition!
Mr M. McGOWAN: No. I have heard the Leader of the
Opposition's position many times; she cannot back out of it. The Leader
of the Opposition's position is to lift the border restrictions with
the east immediately.
Several members interjected.
Mr M. McGOWAN: No. Maybe someone following me might
get some of the quotes and answer a question along those lines.
The SPEAKER: Members! Premier! Leader of the
Opposition, you have had two goes; just listen to the answer.
Mr M. McGOWAN: Yesterday, Victoria had 21 cases, of
which a range were unexplained. That means that they were not people who had come from overseas and were in quarantine; they
were unexplained cases in the community. Today, Victoria had 18 cases,
of which 12 were locally acquired—that is, out in the community. All I would
say to the Leader of the Opposition is that she has to be cautious. As the
Chief Health Officer has advised, and as she is now aware because the documents
have been tabled in the upper house, and I quote —
If the Closing the Border
Directions were revoked, this would result in an increase in the risk of re-introduction
of the disease and subsequent community transmission.
That is the advice of the Chief Health Officer. Liberal
Party, please let us manage the health and economy, and be cooperative. Do not
always nitpick and be critical. In conjunction with the people of Western Australia,
we have successfully saved the lives of Western Australians, and we want to
continue to do that and to open our economy within Western Australia in a COVID-safe
way. We will get to the point at some time in the future when we can announce a
lifting of the border arrangements with the east, but that time is not yet.
Liberal members should let us get on without this constant carping, criticism
and negativity in which they seem to want us to lift the border restrictions
when it is unsafe. It is wrong of them to do that. Western Australians do not
like the way they carry on—they are so critical and negative. They do
not like it and they do not think members are being constructive. With the way
they are carrying on, they are endangering the economy of Western Australia and
the health of Western Australians.