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Posted: 2020-10-16 04:08:41

Federal Finance Minister Mathias Cormann says the "truth is finally seeping out" over WA's hard border closure, accusing the State Government of keeping it closed to some states without justification.

Confusion over the hard border deepened yesterday after the Health Minister said it was time to look at re-opening to parts of the country, while the Premier cited the latest health advice which validated the reasons of staying firmly closed.

The outgoing WA senator, who has long called for the state to open to other jurisdictions free from community transmission of COVID-19 including the Northern Territory and South Australia, said the real picture was now emerging about the border.

Cars lining up at a border check point.
WA's border was closed in early April in a bid to slow the spread of the virus.(ABC Goldfields: Jarrod Lucas)

"There is absolutely no reason to inhibit people's freedoms, to prevent people from travelling, to prevent people from spending their money where they want to, to ensure that families can connect, that people can attend interstate funerals of loved ones if there's no good public health reason to restrict those movements," Senator Cormann said.

"Clearly, Western Australia should open up its borders towards those jurisdictions. There's no public health reason to keep those restrictions in place."

The McGowan Government has long maintained it would require 28 consecutive days of no community spread nationally to open the border.

Chief Health Officer's comments spark row

Advice tabled by Mr McGowan in Parliament yesterday, from the state's Chief Health Officer Doctor Andrew Robertson, outlined the reasons why the border would remain closed, subject to regular fortnightly reviews.

"I am of the current view that the [closed border] directions should remain as currently promulgated but should be reviewed in two weeks' time," Dr Robertson wrote in the advice provided to the Government on Wednesday.

He added the situation in Victoria remained a concern and that border restrictions in place between the state and its neighbours of New South Wales and South Australia were unlikely to stop the virus spreading between the jurisdictions.

That same day, Dr Robertson gave evidence to a parliamentary committee, saying WA could open its border to most states around the country since they had already met health requirements and had their own "generally" satisfactory border controls in place.

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Those comments sparked outrage from the WA Opposition, who accused the McGowan Government of "cherry picking" from the health advice for political reasons.

Dr Robertson did tell the committee one of his main concerns about the state opening to some was the potential for "border hopping", where people could move rapidly from jurisdictions experiencing COVID-19 through the open states into WA. 

Premier's virus remarks 'disgraceful': Cormann

In response to questions over the border, Mr McGowan has repeatedly accused the Opposition of effectively wanting COVID-19 to come back into the community.

A young man wearing a blue face mask walks through the arrival gate at Perth Airport with luggage
Travellers require a special exemption to enter WA under the hard border arrangements.(ABC News: James Carmody)

Senator Cormann said that response was out of line.

"That is a disgraceful and offensive comment," he said.

"It is wrong, it is offensive, it is highly political."

The McGowan Government has also previously argued opening WA up to some states and not others would be unconstitutional, but Senator Cormann dismissed that argument.

"I just detect a level of increasing desperation to try and justify the unjustifiable," Senator Cormann said. 

Border message 'consistant', Logan says

The Premier's office declined to comment on Senator Cormann's comments and referred the ABC back to the Chief Health Officer's latest advice.

But senior WA Government Minister Fran Logan rejected suggestions there had been mixed messaging over the border this week. 

A mid-shot of Fran Logan walking in front of large emergency services vehicles parked behind him.
Senior WA Minister Fran Logan says the state's border has kept residents safe from the virus.(ABC News: Keane Bourke)

"No, I don't [agree with that], and I believe that the Chief Health Officer has been consistent with his message," he said. 

"And that is, the hard border will stay in place until such time as it's safe to change it. And that's been very, very clear going right the way back to March. 

"The hard border has protect Western Australians. It's kept this state safe and strong." 

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