News

Prime Minister Scott Morrison devises a strategy to re-open borders, by Christmas expect for WA.

Friday, September 4, 2020

Every state and territory has agreed to devise a strategy to bring down hard borders and reopen the country by Christmas – except one.

 

PM Scott Morrison addressed the Australian media earlier today and expressed the trials and tribulations that has ensued since March. The May 2020 plan of the 'Three-Step-Process' in re-opening Australia had projected that  this would happen by July of this year.

 

However, PM Scott Morrison continued to say 'the virus prevented us from acheiving that.. 7 out of 8 states and territories want us to get back to position in December of this year.. I thank them for that committment.' 

 

Western Australia is going it alone after becoming the only state or territory not to agree to lifting coronavirus restrictions by December at a meeting of National Cabinet today.

 

"I made it clear that Western Australia will not be agreeing to a hot spot model or a hot spot definition which replaces our successful border controls," Mr McGowan said. "Western Australia has always avoided setting an arbitrary deadline on borders. "A date will be set when our health advice recommends it, but that might be some time away." 

 

Mr McGowan said Prime Minister Scott Morrison and other states and territories understood the decision, given WA's "unique factors" and "the very positive direction our economy is heading".

 

"Unlike the rest of the country, WA is not currently in a recession. So we won't be prematurely reopening our borders," he said.

 

View the live press conference here: