Liberal leader Liza Harvey says the growing number of people pouring into Western Australia every day is further proof Premier Mark McGowan should finally end his farcical stance on hard borders.
“We identified in parliament way back on May 12 that nearly 10,000 people had entered WA since travel restrictions were imposed by the McGowan Labor Government,” Ms Harvey said.
“A media report has now revealed that the figure has grown to nearly 21,000. It said that on average about 450 people are entering WA every single day – 65 on international flights, 166 by road through the border and 216 flying in from interstate.
“It proves the Premier’s hard border has been exposed as a complete myth. And there is still no community spread of COVID-19 in Western Australia, so it is time for Mr McGowan to stop playing his political games and end his ridiculous rhetoric that the WA economy couldn’t be reopened in a COVID-safe way without the borders.
“It is incomprehensible that he won’t even consider a staged approach to pulling down the border that would allow a travel bubble between South Australia and the Northern Territory, where there is no evidence of community spread of COVID-19. Tourism Research Australia figures from 2019 show that South Australian visitors spent $302 million in WA last year.
“Thousands of West Australian businesses rely heavily on interstate tourists to survive. These business owners must be tearing their hair out that Mr McGowan is allowing so many exemptions every single day, but refuses to help them as they battle to keep their doors open.
“I thought the plan was to flatten the COVID-19 curve, not flatten businesses in Western Australia.
“Mr McGowan continues to cause unnecessary fear in the community by focusing on New South Wales and Victoria when the issue of interstate travel is raised.”
Ms Harvey said the Federal Government’s expert medical advice was that there was no need for interstate borders.
“WA is gripped by a jobs crisis, but the Premier is still happy to keep playing political games to protect his popularity in polls, rather than show some real leadership and help businesses who are being decimated,” she said. “He refuses to reveal his plan for the economic recovery of Western Australia.”