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Parliamentary Questions


Question Without Notice No. 47 asked in the Legislative Assembly on 6 May 2021 by Ms L. Mettam

Parliament: 41 Session: 1

CORONAVIRUS — HOSPITALS — BIRTHS

47. Ms L. METTAM to the Minister for Health:

I have a supplementary question. Why will the Minister for Health not commit to at least sitting down and consulting with the Health Consumers' Council WA and the Chief Health Officer to reconsider a commonsense approach to this issue?

Mr R.H. COOK replied:

As I just said, these changes have already been announced. They will take place in the next 24 hours. We will all be very happy to see the further easing of restrictions. I have watched all my colleagues in this chamber struggling with the mask situation. The easing of that restriction is the one that people would welcome the most. From that perspective, this is good.

I have never said that I will not sit down and meet with anyone who has concerns, the least of which is the Health Consumers' Council, which I have a very strong relationship with. In the event that such a meeting takes place, I will commit that the government will continue to observe the public health advice to keep Western Australians safe. That is what we will do every time we come to this situation.

The last thing we want is a politician riding into the room saying, ''I know better than the Chief Health Officer. I know better than all the public health officials who advise you. I know better than the people who run our hospitals—the doctors, the nurses and the allied health professionals who are dealing with this day in and day out.'' The last thing we want is the arrogance of a politician who says, ''All your opinions don't matter anymore. All the expertise that you bring to your profession does not matter anymore because we as politicians know better.'' We do not, and members on the other side of the chamber need to remember that—well, not all members on the other side of the chamber, but from that bit down! When lives are at risk, we need to make sure that we take on board the best medical and health advice that we can. Stop second-guessing it, stop politicising it and stop weaponising it. For goodness sake! Get behind every other Western Australian who supports our efforts to get rid of this virus.