The McGowan Government has taken the extraordinary, but necessary step to place a hard border closure on the State of Western Australia, to further protect the community from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Based on the best medical advice, effective from midnight, or 11.59pm, on Sunday, April 5, people will no longer be able to enter Western Australia without an exemption.
Unprecedented regional boundaries and tough measures have already been introduced to restrict movement and social interaction in Western Australia, but this closure will help WA further combat the COVID-19 crisis.
Exemptions are currently being finalised, and will include people who perform work functions, like:
- health services;
- emergency service workers;
- transport, freight and logistics;
- specialist skills, not available in WA;
- national or State security and governance; and
- courts and judicial services.
There will also be exemptions for FIFO workers and their families, however strict 14-day self-isolation measures will need to be followed when they first enter the State.
Further exemptions will also be permitted based on specific compassionate grounds. Additional information will be released soon.
As stated by Premier Mark McGowan:
“We are living in extraordinary times, it’s something we have all never experienced before.
“These new harder border closures essentially mean we will be turning Western Australia into its own island, within an island – our own country.
“These are drastic steps, but also sensible and workable.
“A number of specific exemptions will be implemented to ensure our State can continue to operate and function. We need to keep our State working.
“I want the message to be absolutely clear to any Western Australian over east who is thinking of coming to WA. If you need to get home to WA – come home now.
“If you are an eastern-stater, and thinking about visiting WA – forget about it.
“While we are this State of Emergency, we need you to stay where you are.
“The quicker we can get through this, the sooner we can get back to normal.
“If we follow the advice, abide by the new rules and practice good social distancing, we can take a different direction to the rest of the country and the rest of the world for that matter.
“Western Australia is in a unique position. Our isolation is now our best defence. We need to use it to the best of our advantage.”
