CORONAVIRUS — REMOTE ABORIGINAL COMMUNITIES
1234. Hon KEN BASTON to the minister representing the
Minister for Aboriginal Affairs:
I
refer to the announcement that Western Australia will open its border to some
interstate travellers from 14 November.
(1) Are
additional resources being provided to remote Aboriginal communities to manage
the possibility of increased visitors, traffic and movement of community
residents?
(2) If yes, could
the minister please outline these additional resources?
Hon
STEPHEN DAWSON replied:
I thank the honourable member for
some notice of the question.
(1)–(2) Although
the controlled border to some interstate travellers will come into effect on 14
November 2020, the access to remote Aboriginal communities will remain
unchanged. Remote Aboriginal communities will remain closed under Remote
Aboriginal Communities Directions (No. 3).
The
state government continues to dedicate resources to support remote Aboriginal
communities in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. A specialised, cross-agency
remote Aboriginal communities emergency mobilisation unit is working closely
with remote communities to strengthen their preparedness to respond to an
outbreak. The McGowan government has allocated an additional $3.1 million under
a remote Aboriginal communities COVID-19 emergency relief fund to finance
emergency works and enhance liveability in remote communities. As Western Australia
moves towards a controlled border, information on the border changes, along
with COVID-19 health and safety messaging, is being translated into multiple
Aboriginal languages.