WA's announcement brings relief as businesses face 'crippling' labour shortages
The Western Australian government’s recent announcement that its “hard border” will be lifted on 3 March, allowing interstate and international travel after the state’s two years of isolation, has been welcomed by employers and businesses.
The border reopening was triggered by the growing spread of the virus in the state. "There comes a point where the border is redundant, because we'll already have the growth of cases here, having the border is no longer effective," WA’s Premier Mark McGowan said.
Nevertheless, McGowan clarified that the reopening would be the “right” course of action. "[It] will be a step forward for Western Australia, a safe step forward, taken at the right time, in the right way, for the right reasons," McGowan said.
Meanwhile, the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI) said the government’s decision is “overdue but very welcome news,” saying the announced date gives businesses “much needed certainty” and the “opportunity to prepare” for interstate and overseas arrivals.
“With WA businesses facing acute supply chain constraints and crippling labour shortages, these changes could not have come soon enough,” ACCI chief executive Andrew McKellar said in a media release.
The date is also highly anticipated as it will conclude the state’s two-year isolation. “It will end the suffering and anguish families separated by the border,” McKellar said, adding that he hopes the WA government “sticks to the plan” since many businesses have already suffered “large financial losses due to the impact of the delay.”
WA opposition leader Mia Davies also welcomed McGowan’s announcement, saying the Premier had "heeded calls from the opposition,” ABC News reported. But Davies said the announced date needed to be an "ironclad guarantee."
"We've been waiting for so long and everybody in Western Australia has done the right thing. This date must stick,” Davies said.
According to ABC News, on 3 March, “triple-dose vaccinated” arrivals from interstate would be allowed to enter WA without quarantining, while international arrivals would be allowed in “if they meet the Commonwealth requirements to enter the country and take a rapid antigen test within 12 hours of arrival and report any positive result.”
pling’ labour shortages
