WA election: Parents defend Premier Mark McGowan on COVID-19 hard border
The WA Premier, who has been criticised over his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, has had his parents publicly defend him.
The NSW parents of West Australian Premier Mark McGowan did not mince words as they defended his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, taking a dig at their own state leader in the process.
Mary and Dennis McGowan drove to Western Australia in a caravan, arriving this week from Coffs Harbour just in time for Saturday’s state election.
Mr McGowan on Friday took his elderly parents to tourist attraction Kings Park, where they told reporters they were extremely proud of the way he had dealt with coronavirus.
The couple even said their son had done a better job than NSW counterpart Gladys Berejiklian.
“Much better,” Dennis said and pointed to “the results”.
The couple said they rarely saw West Australian news in NSW, but their son — who has continued to make headlines about the hard border — had been on television during the pandemic.
Dennis said they tried to “avoid any political discussion” at the Coffs Harbour RSL.
Mary then humorously added: “We only go for the meat raffle.”
The couple, who last saw Mr McGowan in January 2020 for Dennis’s 80th birthday, also said they had no difficulty getting across the state border with the G2G pass.
Mr McGowan joked his parents liked Western Australia better than NSW, but when he was asked by a reporter if that was true, Dennis paused then said he would “pass on that one”.
“Let me answer that,” Mr McGowan interjected, drawing laughs.
Mr McGowan’s parents joined him on election night in 2017, when Labor ended Colin Barnett’s reign, and said they were feeling more confident this time.
The Premier said he was looking forward to spending more time with his parents after the election.
“I don’t know what’s going to happen on Saturday but after that, normally, it will be busy whatever happens, but certainly we’re going to make sure we have some lunches and dinners,” he said.
“Mum and dad are going to go and visit the museum today and I think they are going to take the kids to the zoo.”
Labor is expected to be easily re-elected on Saturday, with Liberal leader Zak Kirkup already conceding his party cannot win.
He could also lose his own seat of Dawesville, indicating he would not return to politics if that happened.
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