EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AMENDMENT (TEMPORARY COVID-19
PROVISIONS) BILL 2022
563. Dr D.J. HONEY to the Deputy Premier:
I have a supplementary question. How can the Deputy Premier
possibly contend that police officers need such extreme powers when any remaining COVID-19 health issues can be
adequately managed by the Public Health Act?
Mr R.H. COOK replied:
I am very pleased to see that
the Leader of the Liberal Party is now a convert to the Public Health Act. I have
always thought it is a great piece of
legislation, but it clearly was not to the member's taste during
COVID-19. Let us look at some of the
measures associated with the Emergency Management Amendment (Temporary COVID-19
Provisions) Bill 2022. The bill
includes the ability to control or use property for the purpose of managing
COVID-19 at a particular point in time. We can see the reasonable,
commonsense approach associated with that. For example, it would allow WA police to quickly set up accommodation and
establish an operation centre, such as the successful Operation Tide, which was initially based at Optus Stadium. The
powers concerning movement and evacuation exist under a state of emergency.
However, COVID-19 declarations give the ability to impose restrictions on
access to remote communities to protect more vulnerable people. This was
successfully applied during the pandemic. Just like with other natural disasters, authorities will have the ability to
move people out of communities for their safety. The bill will also ensure
that necessary temporary powers will be available to support the state's
ongoing management of COVID-19 for the next two years if required. However,
they will fall away after two years if not required. These are all measures
that we would expect any government to have in its control in order to respond
to an emergency associated with COVID-19.
These are all measures that other state governments are embracing in a similar
fashion. We are all moving beyond the Emergency Management Act provisions,
which require ongoing triggering as the situation requires. This is a sensible,
commonsense approach to the ongoing vigilance that we need to have in relation
to COVID-19 over the next two years. It is sensible and common sense. That is
why the other side just do not get it.