TOPIC:

This is one of two things...either (1) it's a systemic issue which was bound to fail as security guards should have no exposure to returning travellers especially those who have tested positive or (2) the guard broke the rules. Either way, there should have been adequate checks and balances in place to prevent it from happening based on experiences both here and in other states. Hopefully now, McGowan will stop looking at the polls and treating this as a political opportunity to be taken to the next election in March.

The time taken to disclose the transmission is a sign of further strain on WA’s public health system, along with the failure to introduce safety protocols already in place in other states. In October, the McGowan government delivered a $1.2bn surplus. It would do well to invest some of it in its health system, the shortcomings of which contributed to the guard moving around Perth undetected for several days. As Victoria Laurie wrote on Sunday: “How could the hotel guard have contracted COVID-19 in a hotel quarantine site? How was he able to move around before his test result was known? Other questions are being asked about why Western Australia, with 10 months’ COVID-free grace, has not learned from quarantine gaffes in Victoria and Queensland by banning security guards from moonlighting in other jobs, especially ones that expose them to large groups.” The guard also worked as a ride-share driver. Hotel guards holding second jobs, Mr McGowan said on Monday, was “a complex issue … we are nearing a resolution … in the course of next week”. Better late than never, the state looks set to ban hotel quarantine workers from having a second job, which is likely to involve additional payments for hotel quarantine work.

The fiasco, justifiably, has prompted Australian Medical Association WA president Andrew Miller to describe the state’s quarantine system as “amateur and ridiculous”. The guard, Dr Miller said, had been “ working in a system that I believe didn’t provide him with enough PPE to protect him from the virus, that did not provide him with adequate ventilation and he was not getting daily testing”.

The lack of daily testing of hotel guards — a move agreed by national cabinet on January 8 — showed negligence and incompetence. Such testing has been in place in Victoria since December 7 and for some guards in NSW since December 14, where it was rolled out across the system in January. South Australia introduced it on January 8, followed a few days later by Queensland. WA’s weekly testing regime — the infected guard last tested negative on January 23 — was upgraded to daily saliva testing on Friday, January 29, Mr McGowan said on Sunday; too late.

Following his bombastic criticisms of NSW, Mr McGowan left himself little room to move in the event of an outbreak. In his hyperbolic style, Mr McGowan insisted “dramatic action immediately” was needed from the outset. It will come at a cost. Time will tell how far the virus has spread. But on the strength of a single case, confining Perth residents to their homes, apart from shopping for essentials and medicine, to access healthcare, to exercise for up to an hour a day or to go to work (wearing a mask) if they cannot work at home, amounts to extreme overkill. Other leaders have resisted emulating Mr McGowan’s penchant for doling out unwanted advice. In NSW, which is bearing the brunt of quarantining returning Australians, Ms Berejiklian said elimination was impossible while the nation was bringing Australians home. Zero community transmission needed to be the goal, risk had to be managed. Until effective vaccines bring the pandemic under control there is no room for complacency. More than 2.2 million people have died from among more than 103 million cases worldwide. But overreactions to a single case, or a handful of cases, do more harm than good.

BC wrote: This is one of two things...either (1) it's a systemic issue which was bound to fail as security guards should have no exposure to returning travellers especially those who have tested positive or (2) the guard broke the rules. Either way, there should have been adequate checks and balances in place to prevent it from happening based on experiences both here and in other states. Hopefully now, McGowan will stop looking at the polls and treating this as a political opportunity to be taken to the next election in March.

BC Im getting seriously concerned about the amount of cash that has been rorted by this so called Covid Stimulus package, its starting to make Rudd?Swans GFC School Halls stuff look like amatuer hours, when WAFL clubs are walking away with half a mil and nearly 1 Mill - alarm bells should be ringing,

On a more personal level, I have a millionaire relative that has scored 25K to build a new house, which was handy as he funneled it towards his new 60k boat, absolute joke. mrs been on Jobkeer the whole time as well with some creative accounting.

Well I thought that I was probably the most naive person going around but surprise surprise it seems that I am not, it seems that the Sixpence is even more naive than I am!

It took an FOI request for documents from the Premiers Dept for him to find out that Sneakers Dept is doing surveys abt Covid processes and lockdown. I do surveys from a company called Matrix (and others) on a regular basis and guess what they all ask questions abt Covid and how I lockdowns, border closures etc, they often ask for opinions abt state and federal responses.

Surveys are being done on all manner of issues at the moment, not just the usual product ones.

Back to Sixpence, his naivety also seems to run to the notion that this information would be used for the Government forming its Covid responses. Blind Freddies dog would know that any politician worth his salt would use all of the information even what the general population thinks.

To top it off he used a Qld Blimp term as his tagline, telling us we are mugs, lifted straight off of the Blimps big yellow full page ads.

I thought that Sixpence deserved an opportunity but he seriously needs to grow up and understand that he is now in the big persons game and he needs to seeking advice that will get him elected and his party some margin of respectibility

Seems like the much maligned loony left maybe not as loony as others would have us believe if today's breaking news in the second worst paper on the planet is true.

It seems that a candidates husband who just happens to be a pastor in a church they founded (that is another issue for later) reckons that it is gods work and tat science is not to be trusted.

Couple of things for Sixpence to deal with, the infiltration of the psychotic christian right into the party must really be seen as an issue. The range of policies that this group would have us deal with is seriously scary.

The other issue for him is that he needs to be able to distance himself from the psycho's and keep control of his party.

Religion has NO role in politics and the governing of a state or country, look at the muddling work of scomo on some issues, like he is waiting for god (hillsong) to tell him what to do or how to feel.

All you say may be true grump but what about the Labor candidate advertising in a communist party rag? Also if all pollies use polls and surveys to frame their position and Kirkup is being naive, why is McGoo denying he looked at polls around attitudes to the lockdown?

BC wrote: All you say may be true grump but what about the Labor candidate advertising in a communist party rag? Also if all pollies use polls and surveys to frame their position and Kirkup is being naive, why is McGoo denying he looked at polls around attitudes to the lockdown?

The labour prat deserves the same condemnation, as for polls the only ones that are useful are the Hereford ones

Looking like an utter wipe out for the libs,

12.5% Swing across the board could well leave then with just 2 seats, I don't think it will be quite that bad, but it will be bad, most likely looking at hanging onto 4 or 5.

Feel for Kirkup his career will be over in more ways the one, he will lose his own seat and the leadership of whatever is left, he's been handed a pig of a deal for a young guy.

Harvey will go as well I reckon. No big loss.

Big question is , just how healthy will this be for the State going forward, the Labor party will Control everything from Beazley at Government house all the way down to both houses in Parliament and probably for a long time.

Theres already some very sus deals going on? Like selling the East Perth Power Station site for next to nothing to Stokes and Twiggy, Slattery hosting parties for McGowan, Crown Casino operating unchecked before NSW put it under the spot light with regulators hanging out with management. $218 Mill in Royalties gone from Koolyanoobing.

Will be interesting to see the quality of Labor people who win seats, union officials and Beazley Jnr on her 3rd or 4th attempt is a joke.
As for Harvey going, the Labor bloke is a local sparky, surely you would want better credentials than that.

MarkOlsen wrote: Will be interesting to see the quality of Labor people who win seats, union officials and Beazley Jnr on her 3rd or 4th attempt is a joke.
As for Harvey going, the Labor bloke is a local sparky, surely you would want better credentials than that.

Don't underestimate the popularity of a local sparky in Scarborough Sparky Bogun country MO. There is hardly a street through Scarborough where you won't find a sparky's van parked on the verge or the street. Probably a local surfer and drinks at the Sandbar, The Lookout, The Beach Pit, The Galway Hooker and El Grotto. He is probably pushing for longer drinking hours.