Coronavirus: WA could face harder domestic border restrictions, Premier Mark McGowan says

The WA Premier warns the “easy decision” to bring the state’s hard border down could bring on stricter restrictions for the hardlined state.

WA Premier Mark McGowan has warned that West Australians could face more strict restrictions if the state opens its borders with the rest of the country.

Mr McGowan compared West Australia’s restrictions to other states, which have been more strict than in the west, and said it would be difficult for West Australians to live under increased restrictions long-term.

He says those tougher restrictions could be needed if WA’s hard border dropped and last week claimed a travel bubble with other states would only result in the west losing tourism money.

“These are the sorts of things you need to consider before you bring the border down, so we haven’t made any final decisions on that, we haven’t made a final decision on phase 5,” he said on Sunday.

“While people think it’s an easy decision, it isn’t. There are lots of considerations in order to keep people safe.”

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The Premier has long said the health advice was that the hard border should only be removed when there was no community transmission for 28 days across the country.

Victoria and NSW are nowhere near that target.

WA’s Chief Health Officer Andy Robertson said this week that travel bubbles with other low risk jurisdictions had “always been a consideration”, although it would mean WA was reliant on their restrictions.

“We are probably one of the more susceptible states if we were to get a case,” he told 6PR radio.

“If we get one or two cases, we could get a substantial outbreak and that would obviously require considerable effort to get it back under control.

Two more return travellers in quarantine have tested positive for COVID-19, bringing the state’s total to 15 active cases – not including a potential new case from a crew member on a Port Hedland ship who is currently in isolation while tests are being confirmed.

WA recorded more new coronavirus infections on Monday than Victoria – the first time a state has since June 6 – after months of soaring numbers which crippled the southern state.

That brings the total cases in WA to 694 – including 670 recoveries.

This is our WA COVID-19 weekend update for Sunday, 11 October 2020.

For official information on COVID-19 in Western Australia, visit https://t.co/rf5avD4RYphttps://t.co/LP42Fm4wbO pic.twitter.com/2lQtGW9qjs

— Mark McGowan (@MarkMcGowanMP) October 11, 2020

PORT HEDLAND OUTBREAK

The WA Health Department declared a new coronavirus outbreak in Port Hedland only a day after settling another virus-infected ship problem.

A crew member of the Vega Dream iron ore cargo ship anchored off the WA coast feared to be infected with coronavirus has been was transferred to a nearby health campus while COVID tests are being confirmed.

Officials are concerned the new cases could be a ticking time bomb for the community and the resource hub dubbed the “engine room” of Australia’s economy.

Health Minister Roger Cook said a crew member on board the Vega Dream iron ore carrier returned a positive result to a rapid COVID-19 test which is still yet to be confirmed.

The crew member is currently isolated while results from a second test which has been sent to Perth are confirmed tomorrow.

WA Premier Mark McGowan has been protective of opening the state border. Picture: Colin Murty The Australian

This comes after the Patricia Olderdoff cargo ship leaves Port Hedland after 18 of its 21 crew members tested positive to COVID-19.

The ship arrived in Australian waters from Manila last week.

Mr Cook said the two outbreaks show its time for the Federal Government to step up.

“The Commonwealth Government has to actually make sure that it works with its international partners so that we don’t have these situations continue to emerge,” he said.

He added that if it gets out into the community it will create a disaster – worse than what’s been seen in Melbourne.

AMA president Omar Khorshid issued a severe warning that the outbreak could prove to be a “death sentence” if not managed correctly.

“If the virus gets out into the Port Hedland community, particularly into the Indigenous community in Port Hedland, we would expect a catastrophic outcome that would be worse than what we have seen in Melbourne with severe illness and death resulting in an outbreak,” he told The West Australian.

— with Angie Raphael