Mark McGowan press conference: WA’s vaccine mandate expanded to cover 75 per cent workforce

More than a million West Australians will have to prove they’ve had at least one COVID-19 jab – or risk a $20,000 fine.

Teachers, builders, and hospitality workers are among the groups included under sweeping new vaccination mandates announced by Premier Mark McGowan today.

The new rules will be introduced incrementally, but will ultimately apply to more than 75 per cent of WA’s workforce, or roughly 1.1 million people.

Individuals who refuse to comply face a $20,000 fine. The penalty increases to $100,000 for employers.

The cohort are the latest group to come under compulsory jab rules. Aged care and health care staff, “mission critical” mining workers, truckies, and port workers are already required to get vaccinated.

WATCH THE PREMIER’S PRESS CONFERENCE IN FULL IN THE VIDEO PLAYER ABOVE

By December 1, a large list of occupations — including police, fire emergency workers, and community care workers — are required to have had one dose of the vaccine. Most workers included in this group are already included under existing mandates.

By January 1, the vaccination mandate will swell massively.

Jabs will become mandatory for workers in supermarkets, grocery stores, and bakeries, restaurants, pubs, bars, cafes, post offices, hardware stores, childcare or family daycare schools or boarding schools, financial institutions, petrol stations, public and commercial transport hotel, and other accommodation facilities, and the building maintenance or construction industries.

They will need to be fully vaccinated by the end of January.

A third group will be required to get vaccinated in the event of a lockdown.

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This group will include: people employed in bottle shops, newsagents, pet stores, wholesalers, critical conveyancing and settlement agents, government or local government services (where working from home is not possible), vehicle, or mechanical and mechanical repair services, roadside assistance critical forestry primary industries and factories, manufacturing, fabrication and production, media services, and members of the web Parliament, and their staff.

“We know the threat is ever-present. So much about this virus is unpredictable,” Mr McGowan said.

“Today, we are giving vaccination a shot in the arm.

“It is proportionate and reasonable and is aimed at preparing Western Australia safely for the inevitable community transmission.”

Employers will face a $100,000 fine if they are found to have employees who aren’t vaccinated. Individual employees will face $20,000 fines.

“We're hopeful we don't have to do it, but we'll have checking in place,” the Premier said.

“I'm sure the overwhelming majority of people will want to comply and do the right thing.”

Employees will have to provide evidence to their employers.

Health Minister Roger Cook said WA was in the “final quarter” of the fight against the virus.

“We are entering the final crucial phase, in footy terms,” he said.

“The final minutes of the game are the most dangerous, it's the time when you make mistakes.

“Our enemy, the pandemic, never stops – it doesn't fatigue… so we can't keep our eye off the ball. We have to keep working hard.”

Tourism WA, the Australian Hotels Association, and Unions WA welcomed the announcement. However, the response was not wholly supportive.

Opposition leader Mia Davies described the decision as a “panicked reaction.”

“The government has not done the hard yards to get as many people over the line voluntarily,” she said

“That would be far preferable than simply mandating large numbers of people (to get the jab).”

The Nationals MP claimed to support vaccine mandates where the health advice dictates it — but that setting a date for reopening would encourage reluctant West Australians to get the jab.

“We've always said that we support mandates for vaccines where there is good health and legal advice,” she said.

“What we've also said is that we would prefer to see a overarching plan for the government to share with Western Australian so we can all be on the same page working towards a date for reopening.”