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Parliamentary Questions


Question Without Notice No. 474 asked in the Legislative Assembly on 7 September 2021 by Mr S.J. Price

Parliament: 41 Session: 1

CORONAVIRUS — VACCINATIONS

474. MR S.J. PRICE to the Minister for Health:

I refer to Western Australia's efforts to get as many eligible people fully vaccinated as soon as possible.

(1) Can the minister update the house on the new vaccination clinic at Midland and outline what it will mean for those in the eastern suburbs?

(2) Can the minister also outline to the house why vaccinations are being made mandatory for all healthcare and health support workers?

Mr R.H. COOK replied:

(1)–(2) I would like to thank the member for the question. I begin by acknowledging that we are at the beginning of Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. I would like to thank Hon Matt Swinbourn for his great championing of this cause and very much look forward to highlighting these issues with him over the course of this month.

I had the absolute pleasure, Madam Speaker, as I am sure you would appreciate, of being at the opening of the new Midland clinic just the other day. It would also not surprise you to hear that I think it is one of the best yet. It is a great facility.

The SPEAKER: No argument from me.

Mr R.H. COOK: It is open from 8.30 am to 4.30 pm Monday to Sunday at the Centrepoint Midland shopping centre, 307 Great Eastern Highway. The clinic is located in a four-hour free parking zone and is close to the Midland train station. It is another great opportunity for everyone in Western Australia to get themselves vaccinated. We had a soft opening just last Saturday when we encouraged Aboriginal families in the Midland area to get vaccinated, and over 100 came through that day. There was no need for an appointment; they could just walk up. Although that sounds modest in relation to the big numbers who go through our vaccination centres, that is a great contribution to making sure that some of the most valuable members of our community get the opportunity to get themselves vaccinated.

Of course, this comes on top of our efforts to make sure that we continue to vaccinate as many people in Western Australia as possible. One of the things I have been at pains to emphasise to our healthcare workforce is that we not only want to look after them but also want to help them to look after the patients they care for. That is the reason we have announced the mandatory vaccination arrangement for the entire healthcare workforce to benefit patients, the workers and the broader community. It will make sure that the entirety of our healthcare workforce community is vaccinated. That will mean that every member of the healthcare workforce, whether they are a frontline doctor or nurse, an allied health professional, a support worker, a cleaner or someone working in a kiosk in a healthcare facility, will need to be double vaccinated by 1 January next year.

It will be operating on a number of tiers; the first tier will be from 1 October. All those working in high-risk areas, such as intensive-care units, high-dependency units and so on, will need to have had at least one dose of vaccine from 1 October. From 1 November, all healthcare workers in those areas will need to be double dosed. From 1 December, workers will need to be fully vaccinated to enter tier 2 healthcare facilities. That means that health support workers will need to have received at least one dose of the vaccine to enter a tier 2 health facility, which is of course all hospitals, both private and public.

We are determined to make sure we lift the number of people who are vaccinated in our community. It is very important because it is the only way we can continue to protect ourselves, our families and the community. Making sure our healthcare workers are vaccinated is an important step and another way the McGowan government is working to keep the people of Western Australia safe.