Skip to main content
Home
  • The Legislative Assembly meets on 16/04/2024 (01:00 PM)
    Assembly sit 16/04/2024
  • The Legislative Council meets on 16/04/2024 (01:00 PM)
    Council sit 16/04/2024
  • The Public Administration meets on 08/04/2024 (10:00 AM)
    Committee meet 08/04/2024

Parliamentary Questions


Question Without Notice No. 777 asked in the Legislative Assembly on 17 November 2021 by Mr P.J. Rundle

Parliament: 41 Session: 1

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.