WA Premier Mark McGowan reveals state’s border reopening plan

Western Australia’s Premier, Mark McGowan, has revealed the state’s long-awaited plan to reopen its border to the rest of the country.

Western Australia will re-open its borders to interstate visitors from February — but only to those who are fully vaccinated.

Premier Mark McGowan said the state had now achieved its target for 80 per cent of adults aged over 12 years old to be fully vaccinated with two doses.

He said the state’s border would re-open from 12.01am, on Saturday, February 5 and that this date was “locked in” to give Western Australians and local businesses certainty.

“We begin a new phase of Covid-19 management in WA,” he said.

Interstate arrivals will still need to fill out a G2G Pass, they must also be double dosed and will have to provide a negative test result within 72 hours of their arrival.

If their trip is for more than six days, they must also have a PCR test within 48 hours of arrival in WA.

International arrivals will also need to be fully vaccinated and tested.

Mr McGowan said no exemption would be provided for the scheduled one-day international between Australia and New Zealand at Optus Stadium on January 30, which means interstate visitors must undergo 14 days of quarantine if they want to attend the cricket game.

He said the decision to re-open on February 5 was based on health advice provided during National Cabinet about the Omicron variant. He said the state was expected to have reached 90 per cent double dosed by this date and it was also the Saturday after the first week of school.

If areas like the Pilbara did not achieve a 80 per cent vaccination rate by the date, Mr McGowan said restrictions would be put in place, particularly for the unvaccinated.

Proof of vaccination will also be required for entry to nightclubs, the Crown complex, the four major stadiums Optus, RAC, HBF and HBF Park, as well as all events with 1000 or more people.

People using trains, buses, or taxis will also be required to wear a mask from February 5.

Mr McGowan said news of the re-opening would be a “cause of relief or even celebration” for some but would concern great concern for others.

“After the 5th of February, cases will begin to appear in the community, that is inevitable but it will not be a cause for panic — it will be a reminder to do the right thing,” he said.

“We’re in this together and we will get through this together. I know the community will keep doing the right thing.”

He reminded people to get vaccinated, keep a mask on hand and for people to stay at home and get tested if they are unwell.

“As of today over 212,000 West Australians are eligible for a third dose but only 15 per cent have received one so far,” he said.

WA has not had a community Covid case in five months and Mr McGowan acknowledged there would also be new things to learn that the state not had to deal with previously including what people needed to do if they tested positive to Covid, or their family or colleagues did.

WA Health Minister Roger Cook said the government had been investing billions into the health system for the “inevitable” arrival of Covid. It will also launch a mobile phone app in February to make checking vaccinations easy.

“Western Australians are going to be in for a real shock from February 5”, he said.

“We are going to be living with Covid-19 but there is no easy way of living with the worst virus in 100 years.

“You just need to look at the eastern states or overseas to see how confronting it’s going to be.”

West Australian Premier Mark McGowan is waiting for the state to hit 90 per cent double dose. Picture: Sharon Smith/NCA NewsWire

Ahead of the announcement, airlines began scheduling direct flights between New South Wales and Perth, beginning on January 31.

As The Australian first reported, Qantas now has nine flights scheduled on that route on the last day of January. Virgin has six.

Qantas has been running no flights on the route in recent weeks, and Virgin just one.

WA currently has the strictest border rules of any state or territory, with residents of NSW and Victoria – where Covid has spread the most – effectively locked out.

Tasmanian residents are currently the only ones that are free to enter Western Australia without any form of quarantine.

Queensland had previously been included in the quarantine-free group however a cluster of Covid cases, and the state finally opening its own border to NSW and Victorian residents today, saw WA bring back quarantine requirements against the Sunshine State.

From today, Queenslanders looking to visit WA will have to quarantine for two weeks after the government elevated the risk level to the state.

To enter WA, individuals must be fully vaccinated, present for a Covid test on arrival and on day 12, and can quarantine for 14 days.

Mr McGowan and his government had a cabinet meeting this morning to discuss the plan, as the state inches closer to its goal of 90 per cent double dose vaccination.

The Premier said 90 per cent double dose vaccination of the state’s over-12 population would trigger its reopening.

Currently, the state has fully vaccinated 79.3 per cent of its over-12 population and 88.7 per cent have received one dose of vaccine.

This is our WA COVID-19 update for Friday, 10 December 2021.

For official information on COVID-19 in WA, visit https://t.co/BxpzVwdsqthttps://t.co/jl8KbGjgRLpic.twitter.com/gYgxXyovq7

— Mark McGowan (@MarkMcGowanMP) December 10, 2021

Western Australia has recorded 1123 Covid cases since the pandemic hit Australia back in March 2020.

Following border restrictions announced on December 1 by the federal, NSW and Victorian governments in response to Omicron, Mr McGowan said the state continued to take a cautious approach.

“There is a lot we do not know about the Omicron variant but it is believed to be more transmissible than the highly infectious Delta variant and could have more severe impacts on people,” he told reporters earlier this month.

Mr McGowan added that it was “important Western Australia has strong protections in place for states which have relaxed their international borders”.

“NSW no longer has a hotel quarantine system. It is a big risk and that is why we have had a very cautious approach about other states,” he said.

“Borders are effective. If you stop the flow of people coming in you virtually eliminate the prospect of the virus getting here.

“Being cautious works. Being adventurous doesn’t.”

Originally published as WA Premier Mark McGowan reveals state’s border reopening plan