CORONAVIRUS — MANDATORY VACCINATIONS —
TEACHERS
777. Mr P.J. RUNDLE to the Premier:
I refer to revelations in the
Legislative Council regarding a Department of Education survey conducted to
ascertain the vaccination status of education staff across the state.
(1) Is the Premier aware that 10 000
education staff of the 42 000 in the state have not yet responded?
(2) How does the
Premier propose to target and recruit to fill shortages if he cannot determine
how many teachers he will be short for 2022?
Mr M.
McGOWAN replied:
(1)–(2) Madam
Speaker, I think I answered some questions around these matters last week or
the week before. Basically, the survey results we received back from education
staff indicated that around 99 per cent had either
been vaccinated or were intending to be vaccinated. It does not mean every
single staff member has filled out a survey. We do surveys in this
house, and not everyone in this house of 59 people fills out the survey—probably
not even half.
The SPEAKER: I hope the
member for Southern River heard that!
Mr
M. McGOWAN: That is the nature of
surveys. However, what we have done is we have put in place vaccination
mandates to ensure that we get to high levels of vaccination in critical areas
and where people work with vulnerable people. All I would say to the education
workforce—I have the support of the unions in this—is please go
and get vaccinated. It is in your own interest. It is in the community's
interest. It is in the kids' interest. It is in the families'
interest. It is in the state's interest.