WA closes border to quell coronavirus cases

The exceptional measures were announced as the state recorded its largest jump in COVID-19 cases overnight, bringing WA’s total to 120.

Mr McGowan called for all interstate travellers planning to visit WA to cancel their holidays or they will be forced to stay and and adhere to strict self isolation guidelines for 14 days.

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Exemptions will apply to essential services and workers, including health and emergency services, defence and policing, mining industry workforces, flight crews and freight of essential goods, via ports and trucks – with guidelines to monitor and manage the situation.

The announcement comes as South Australia enforced an immediate 14-day self-isolation for all visitors before its border enforcement measures are enacted at 4pm on Tuesday.

As part of the drastic measures, Mr McGowan said the government was actively considering turning Rottnest Island into a quarantine zone and acquiring hotels for people who can’t or won’t isolate themselves.

“These are extreme steps, but these are extreme days,” he said.

“We have come to this decision after wide consultation, and to ensure the new border controls do not impact essential services, our fly-in, fly-out workforce and the delivery of goods and services to our state.

“I have worked closely with the South Australia Premier to guarantee our transport links can continue in an orderly fashion so we can get through this extraordinary period.”

WA Police Commissioner Chris Dawson said people on holiday needed to make a very deliberate change to ensure they adhere to the new restrictions.

“We have to treat this as war time and in war time we have seen people band together, and they helped each other,” he said.

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“I’m appealing to the community, don’t take risks … to ensure your safety and the safety of the entire community are met.”

Commissioner Dawson said the border enforcement measures would take place across the entire state and be published once finalised.

“Whether you are coming from Kununurra, through Eucla, whether you are travelling by sea, air and indead the Indian Pacific of course, there will be very significant changes,” he said.

“But we will have cargo, we will have essential services. Ships will be very clearly directed about what they can and can’t do,” he said. “We will be addressing major highways and monitoring that people aren’t doing rat runs.”

Enforcement of the border restrictions will be rolled out with checkpoint stops and arrival cards, with visitors required to show they meet the essential criteria to be granted an exemption. The new direction will be enforceable by law, with penalties of up to $50,000 for individuals.