CORONAVIRUS — VACCINATIONS
680. Ms C.M. ROWE to the Minister for Health:
I
refer to the McGowan Labor government's success in keeping Western Australians
safe throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
(1) Can the
minister update the house on the rollout of Western Australia's
COVID-19 vaccine program?
(2) Can the
minister advise the house if he is aware of anyone seeking to threaten the
health and safety of Western Australians?
Mr R.H. COOK replied:
(1)–(2) I
thank the member for Belmont for the question. In addition to the information
the member seeks, I am very proud and pleased to say that today is an official
doughnut day. That means that we have no active cases of COVID-19 in Western Australia
in either the community or SHICC facilities or hospitals.
Mr W.J. Johnston interjected.
Mr R.H. COOK: Honestly! It is
the hotel quarantine facilities.
That has happened only three times
during the entire experience of the global pandemic. It is an important day and
one that gives us another opportunity to acknowledge the great work that has
been undertaken by everyone in the health system, the emergency services and
the Western Australia Police Force—a great, great effort. In addition,
to date, over three million Western Australians have now done the right thing
and been vaccinated. That puts us at 59.4 per cent of people aged over 12 years
fully vaccinated, and 76.8 per cent now have had one dose. That puts us ahead
of Queensland and the Northern Territory, and slightly behind South Australia,
but, of course, it counts only people aged 15 and above. We count people aged
12 and above because we think kids matter as well. From that perspective, we
are making good progress.
I am particularly heartened by the
dedication of most people in the community, who are listening to the health
advice and the science that backs it up and are protecting themselves, their families
and their community. We can achieve great things when we work together. I want
to thank all those people who have had the leadership to stand up and get
themselves vaccinated. I want in particular to draw people's attention
to the fact that Tony Galati from Spudshed
got himself vaccinated over the weekend. That is not amazing in itself other
than the fact that Tony Galati was one of those people we would call
vaccine hesitant. He said that in his comments to the media. He said that at
first he was not quite sure, but he listened to the advice and the science—and
his wife!—and he did the right thing and
got himself vaccinated. That is what we require. We require everyone to show
leadership and to make sure that they do the right thing. That is not what
we are seeing outside this place today.
We are seeing members of Parliament
and staff bullied, intimidated and menaced by those outside who are seeking to
divert the community's attention and our intent to make sure that we
protect Western Australians. Through their physical and menacing behaviour,
they are trying to intimidate members of Parliament and the government. Of course, we will not be intimidated. We will not be
intimidated because everyone in this place is a leader and everyone in
this place has an obligation to stand up against these people. That is the
reason why it is disappointing when we see leaders in our community failing
that very test that is on all of us. In particular, I note the comments from
the spokesperson from Dr David Honey's office, who identified himself
in social media comments outside this place just
earlier today or yesterday. I am not sure which day it was; it does not matter.
What matters is the comments that were made. He has been encouraging —
The SPEAKER: Minister, you do
need to refer to people by their seat rather than their name.
Mr R.H. COOK: He is from the
member for Cottesloe's office. I apologise, Madam Speaker. He referred
to himself as from the office of Dr David Honey in his capacity as Leader of
the Liberal Party. In those comments, this particular member gave more
encouragement to these people outside the building. We accept their democratic right to protest. We do not accept their right to
intimidate, physically menace and bully members of Parliament who are coming into this place. We do not accept their
right to intimidate and bully those people who are coming here to work, doing their duty as members of Parliament or
staffers in this place. We do not accept the comments from the member for Cottesloe's spokesperson that
encourage this sort of behaviour and, once again, seek to undermine public
confidence and public unity around these issues. What this person says is, ''I
think it is important to express their views
directly here at the parliamentary precinct and to the members of Parliament'',
providing direct encouragement of
this sort of behaviour. In addition to that, he says that the moment for
restrictions in Western Australia—I assume he is referring to
our border controls that have kept Western Australians safe and have led us to
this position where we now have zero cases—that
time, is over. A spokesperson for the member for Cottesloe, the Leader of the
Liberal Party, is joining the honourable —
Point of Order
Dr D.J.
HONEY: There is no spokesperson for me, and the member is —
Several members interjected.
The
SPEAKER: Sorry; are you making a point of order or are you
attempting to enter the debate?
Dr D.J. HONEY: No, Madam
Speaker; I am saying —
The SPEAKER: What is your
point of order? You cannot enter a debate. A disagreement with what the
minister is saying is not a point of order.
Dr D.J. HONEY: Madam Speaker,
the member is misleading the house. There is no person who speaks on my behalf
other than me.
The SPEAKER: That was not a point
of order.
Questions without Notice Resumed
Mr R.H. COOK: This
particular individual identified himself as a staffer from ''Dr David
Honey's office'' so he is clearly attributing his comments to
his position in that office. What did he say to the protesters? He said, ''Well
done.'' While we are trying to encourage everyone to get
vaccinated, this individual is encouraging protesters to undermine that effort.
Once again, the test is there for the Leader of the Liberal Party. Once again,
we see representatives from his corner trying to undermine the public's
effort to get people vaccinated.
The member for Cottesloe might take
offence that we attribute these comments to his office, but maybe we can look
to the words of Mr Ian Goodenough, MP, who, in his own social media commentary,
is trying to undermine the McGowan government's efforts to get people
vaccinated. The test is here, Madam Speaker. It is time for the Leader of the Liberal Party to lead. He should
stop being curtailed by the factional warriors that actually run his party,
and actually lead—join the McGowan
government in getting people vaccinated and protecting Western Australians.
For once in your life and for once in your time in this position, stand up and
be counted!
The SPEAKER: Members, just
to be clear, question time is a time for questions and responses to those
questions. It is not a time for debate across the chamber. Debate happens when
there is a matter of public importance or when there is private members'
business or when there is a bill before the house. Points of order are not an
opportunity to enter debate; points of order are for a genuine point of order.
They should not be used spuriously to try to engage in debate because you
disagree with something a member has said. If you want to make a personal explanation,
you are entitled to do that, providing you meet the criteria. If you want to
debate something, bring it on as a motion. Give
us a notice of motion and an item can come on appropriately for debate. But
question time is not a time for debate.