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The WA Premier has announced new restrictions on travel across the state which prevents the movement of people between different regions.
Key points:
- The WA Premier has restricted movement between regions in WA
- Fines of up to $50,000 could be issued if people ignore the rules
- Exemptions exist for essential travel and on compassionate grounds
Travel between Western Australia's regions will be restricted at midnight next Tuesday to halt the spread of COVID-19.
"Restrictions will be placed on travel within the entire state of Western Australia," Premier Mark McGowan said.
The Premier said regional boundaries would mirror those of the state's Regional Development Commissions.
WA has nine regions — the Kimberley, Pilbara, Gascoyne, Mid-West, Goldfields-Esperance region, Perth and Peel regions, the South West and Great Southern.
Mr McGowan said the Peel and Perth regions would be combined into one region due to their close proximity.
He said police would have the power to enforce restrictions of movement and those breaking the new rules could face fines of up to $50,000.
"Our advice has been clear for days now: Avoid all non-essential travel around the state," the Premier said.
"Do not travel around WA. Easter holiday plans cannot proceed.
"Stay within your region to protect yourself and your fellow West Australians, particularly our older citizens.
"I am pleading with Western Australians to do the right thing, it is your civic duty."
Mr McGowan said further detail about the restrictions would be released at a later date, including what exemptions would exist.
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"West Australians will not be barred from leaving their regions for essential purposes," Mr McGowan said.
"[This is] including but not limited to, travel for work purposes to deliver essential goods, for essential health and emergency services and other essential requirements.
"Exemptions on compassionate grounds will also be in place."
WA Police Commissioner Chris Dawson said police would use every resource possible to enforce the restrictions, but help may be called in if necessary.
"We will be co-opting other people and that will include Defence if necessary and we're working our way through that," Commissioner Dawson said.
The Premier also announced today that gun shops and dealerships would be forced to close.
New cases include five-month-old baby
The state recorded 24 new cases of COVID-19 overnight, bringing the total to 255.
Five of the new cases are from regional WA and they range in age from five months old to 82 years old.
The five-month-old is the child of two of the new confirmed cases, and is at home with its parents in Perth.
Eleven of the new cases are from cruise ships, including five from the Ruby Princess, three from the Ovation of the Seas, two from the Voyager of the Seas and one from the Celebrity Solstice.
Man died 48 hours after showing symptoms
Family members of a West Australian man who died from COVID-19 on Thursday have released a statement expressing their devastation.
Ray Daniels, 73, fell ill after holidaying on the Celebrity Solstice cruise ship, which docked in Sydney on March 20.
Mr Daniels is the father of a serving West Australian Police officer.
His family said they were devastated and urged people to take the virus seriously.
"He was a very fit, healthy and active man with no known underlying health issues," they said.
"He showed no real significant signs of being unwell until he collapsed at home on Wednesday morning. He died within 48 hours.
"Clearly this virus does not discriminate and we never believed for one second that it would take him from us.
"Everybody needs to take this virus seriously and follow the health advice that is being given."
WA to harbour cruise passengers
The changed state rules follow an announcement today by Prime Minister Scott Morrison asking states and territories to force arrivals into 14 days of isolation.
It means Western Australia will need to provide quarantine facilities for 600 Australians who are not residents of the state expected to disembark from the Vasco da Gama cruise ship later today.
There are almost 800 Australians on board the ship in total, 200 of whom are from WA.
There are also foreign nationals on board, including 108 New Zealanders.
The State Government is preparing Rottnest Island to cater for arrivals, who need to be isolated for 14 days.
Travel to the holiday island has been banned and the passengers from the Vasco da Gama were expected to be the first arrivals.
Mr Morrison said the costs of accommodation and other arrangements would be managed by the states and territories.
Woman forced into quarantine
Meanwhile, a West Australian woman has been forced into quarantine under the state's Public Health Act, the first instance of this situation since the coronavirus outbreak began.
The state's Chief Health Officer, Andrew Robertson, declined to give many details about the woman, including which facility she was in or what exactly led to her enforced quarantine.
He told ABC Radio Perth she would be allowed to leave when the 14-day isolation period expired.
"She's safe, she's receiving good care," Dr Robertson said.
"She's being monitored regularly.
"Once she's completed her isolation period she'll obviously be free to go on her way."
The Police Commissioner said two officers arrested the woman in the Perth CBD several days ago.
He said the woman had not been diagnosed with COVID-19, but remained under guard at the Perth facility.
"Take this seriously," Commissioner Dawson said as a warning to the rest of the community.
Dr Robertson said at this stage most West Australians were being very compliant with the rules and self-isolating if required.
"But we do have the powers under the Public Health Act to require people to quarantine … either if they won't or can't comply," Dr Robertson said
"We appreciate that some people can't comply because they're worried about ill people at home for example.
"They might have elderly parents or sick family members.
"We can quarantine those and then others who are less compliant."
FIFO changes for FMG
Mining giant Fortescue Metals Group (FMG) announced it would slash employee movement by 40 per cent from next week, as it tried to cut the chance of coronavirus infecting its mines.
Your questions on coronavirus answered:
From Monday fly-in fly-out workers on two-weeks-on, one-week-off rosters will move to four-on, two-off schedules.
Other fly-in fly-out rosters would change to two-weeks on, two-weeks off.
Employees would also receive a $1,000 payment each month for three months and be eligible for an extra five days leave.
The change could last as long as six months.
FMG chief executive Elizabeth Gaines said the decision was made to protect community health and wellbeing.
Topics: covid-19, perth-6000, wa
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