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. 1160 asked in the Legislative Council on 14 December 2021 by Hon Dr Steve Thomas

Parliament: 41 Session: 1

CORONAVIRUS — INTERSTATE BORDER RESTRICTIONS — TRANSITION PLAN

1160. Hon Dr STEVE THOMAS to the minister representing the Minister for Health:

I refer to the McGowan government's announcement yesterday that WA would proceed with a safe transition plan to safely ease its hard border control in line with the 90 per cent vaccination rate from 12.01 am on Saturday, 5 February 2022.

(1) Is this date unequivocally set in concrete and will the border controls be eased, regardless of whether the 90 per cent vaccination rate is met?

(2) If an individual is diagnosed with COVID-19 and is required to quarantine at home, will all family members or close contacts, regardless of whether they are double vaccinated, also be required to quarantine?

(3) If a business is identified as a hot spot for a COVID-19 outbreak, will the business be forced to close or will it continue to operate if the staff are double vaccinated?

(4) Will individuals or businesses that are forced to quarantine or close due to medical advice be offered compensation from the government if their livelihoods are impacted because of that direction?

The PRESIDENT: Okay, so we are on long questions today.

Hon MATTHEW SWINBOURN replied:

On behalf of the Minister for Mental Health, I thank the honourable member for some notice of the question. I provide the following response based on the information provided by the Minister for Health.

(1) The date of 5 February has been selected based on health advice and the expectation that the state will have achieved a full vaccination rate of 90 per cent for persons aged 12 years and over. That date will not be amended based on the achieved vaccination rate.

(2) The principles established by Communicable Diseases Network Australia's series of national guidelines will be followed.

(3) Businesses and premises will not be forced to close by default. Each exposure site will continue to be risk assessed according to the extent and duration of the exposure.

(4) The McGowan government has provided over $9 billion in COVID-19 response measures to ensure that our frontline services are well resourced to respond to the pandemic, support businesses and households and boost our economic recovery. Services Australia's pandemic leave disaster payment is available for individuals who cannot earn an income because they must self-isolate, quarantine or care for someone who has COVID-19. The best way to protect individuals and businesses is to get vaccinated.