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Parliamentary Questions


Question Without Notice No. 804 asked in the Legislative Assembly on 15 October 2020 by Mr P.A. Katsambanis

Parliament: 40 Session: 1

CORONAVIRUS — INTERSTATE BORDER RESTRICTIONS — CHIEF HEALTH OFFICER ADVICE

804. Mr P.A. KATSAMBANIS to the Premier:

I have a supplementary question. The Premier accuses us of not listening to his answers, but he clearly was not listening to the question.

The SPEAKER: That is a preamble. Ask a straight question, please.

Mr P.A. KATSAMBANIS: Is it a fact that the Premier was given that advice that the Chief Health Officer, a man of utmost integrity, told the committee he had given the Premier, or is he accusing this man of misleading a parliamentary committee?

Mr M. McGOWAN replied:

What he said yesterday was that the government could consider things in the future. That is what he said. Then he gave us written advice today which indicated that the border should remain closed.

Dr D.J. Honey interjected.

The SPEAKER: Member for Cottesloe!

Mr M. McGOWAN: What is clear to me is that the Liberal Party wants to bring all the structures down that have protected Western Australia. That is all it wanted to do the whole way along.

Mr P.A. Katsambanis interjected.

The SPEAKER: Member for Hillarys, you have had two goes at questions. Listen to the answer.

Mr M. McGOWAN: You just come and complain and want to undermine everything that we have done in conjunction with the Chief Health Officer, in conjunction with the Department of Health, in conjunction with the COVID coordinator, Sharyn O'Neill, and in conjunction with the police commissioner to protect Western Australians.

Mr Z.R.F. Kirkup interjected.

The SPEAKER: Member for Dawesville, you are on three.

Mr M. McGOWAN: That is all they are trying to do and that is all they do the whole way along. It is absolutely bizarre the way you behave!

In the eastern states, the Liberal Party is out there attacking the Victorian government, which has put in place all sorts of measures to protect health, and is saying bring all those measures down that protect the health of Victorians.

Mr P.A. Katsambanis interjected.

The SPEAKER: Member for Hillarys, I call you for the first and second time.

Mr M. McGOWAN: Here we have an ex–Victorian member of Parliament saying, ''Bring down the measures that kept Western Australians safe.''

Mr P.A. Katsambanis interjected.

The SPEAKER: Member for Hillarys, I call you to order for the third time.

Mr M. McGOWAN: The Liberal Party in Western Australia just seems to want the virus to come back in.

Mr P.A. Katsambanis interjected.

The SPEAKER: Yes, you did not hear; you were too busy shouting.

Mr M. McGOWAN: It just seems to want the virus to come back in. That seems to be what it is trying to achieve here; otherwise, I do not know what it is trying to achieve. What is it trying to achieve? In all its undermining and criticism, what is the opposition trying to get to? We have had six months and one week without any cases in Western Australia. Should we not be celebrating that? Should we not be saying that is a good outcome? We have the lowest unemployment rate of any state in Australia. Should we not be saying that is a good outcome? Should we not be building confidence? Should the opposition not be out there saying that it wants to work with the government to get better outcomes and continue these outcomes in the future, rather than coming along here every single day undermining, criticising and not being constructive, and I might add, never having a policy of its own? What is its policy? Bring down the border? Is that the opposition's policy?

Mrs L.M. Harvey: No.

Mr M. McGOWAN: Okay, well it used to be! As I recall, it was going to be that the opposition was waiting for the budget and then it was going to release all these policies. Where are the policies?

Mr Z.R.F. Kirkup: It's been a week, mate!

Mr M. McGOWAN: Exactly! The Leader of the Opposition's response to the budget speech yesterday had not a single policy. What are the policies?

Several members interjected.

Mr M. McGOWAN: Two policies! Did members hear that? The opposition has two policies. The shadow Treasurer does not even get involved in policy development, because he cannot even speak to the Leader of the Opposition. You are completely dysfunctional and completely hopeless.