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Parliamentary Questions


Question Without Notice No. 667 asked in the Legislative Assembly on 15 September 2020 by Mr Z.R.F. Kirkup

Parliament: 40 Session: 1

CORONAVIRUS — MENTAL HEALTH

667. Mr Z.R.F. KIRKUP to the Minister for Mental Health:

Can the minister please outline to the house the extent of the mental health issues that are impacting Western Australians as a result of the COVID-19 crisis, and what the expected demand is on our health system in the short, medium and long term?

Mr R.H. COOK replied:

I thank the member for the question. Obviously, we are acutely aware of some of the levels of anxiety that have risen as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. We will have an opportunity to dig into these issues in much more detail in the matter of public interest that the opposition has signalled that it wishes to raise today. I can tell the opposition that mental health issues are more acutely felt by those who are concerned about their jobs, the economy and the future for the Western Australian community. I can tell the opposition that the best way it can undermine the progress that we have made on jobs, the economy, and bringing the Western Australian community to a new normal is by dismantling our hard border. Today, the biggest threat to the Western Australian community is the Liberal Party, which seeks to bring down the hard border, which has allowed us to keep Western Australians safe and to bring our economy back.

Mr Z.R.F. Kirkup: Move on from this old line! It doesn't work.

The SPEAKER: I have an old line for you. I call you to order for the first time, member for Dawesville.

Mr R.H. COOK: Whether it is the Liberals in Canberra or the Liberals in Western Australia, we know that they are the enemies of the government's policies to keep Western Australians safe and bring back Western Australian jobs. The Western Australian community supports our hard border approach and we will continue to progress it. One thing we can guarantee is that mental health and anxiety issues in our community will be much better resolved by a hard border policy.