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New WA bill to allow for three monthly Covid lock downs, isolation and masking
The West Australian Labor Party will introduce a Bill into State Parliament to amend the Emergency Management Act 2005 to allow for the ongoing management of COVID-19 beyond a State of Emergency.
The Bill will enable the State Emergency Coordinator to make a temporary ‘COVID-19 declaration’ to continue managing the pandemic with sensible measures such as mask wearing and isolation requirements.
The new framework is fit for purpose and allows for the COVID-19 measures that have kept Western Australia safe and strong during its world-leading response to the pandemic.
A ‘Temporary COVID-19 Declaration’ can only be made if the State Emergency Coordinator is satisfied that COVID-19 poses a risk to the safety of the community, such that it requires a co-ordinated response to prevent loss of life or harm to the health of the community.
Under the new legislation, which will automatically expire in two years’ time, a ‘Temporary COVID-19 Declaration’ can be made for three-month periods at a time. This framework will replace the current system where State of Emergency declarations must be renewed every two weeks to continue.
Unlike a State of Emergency declaration, a ‘Temporary COVID-19 Declaration’ will not allow for the closure of State borders or require an application to enter Western Australia from any other State or Territory.
“Our management of this once-in-a-hundred-year pandemic has saved lives, reduced hospitalisations and protected our strong economy,” Premier Mark McGowan said.
“All Western Australians have done a tremendous job and followed the necessary directions and public health measures to protect themselves and their community.
“The State of Emergency has served its purpose and was key to our unique world-leading response and management of the pandemic.
“With high vaccination rates and low case numbers, now is the right time to plan for COVID-19 management beyond the State of Emergency.
“This new framework is a sensible approach to keep Western Australians safe and while we hope that we’ve passed the worst of COVID-19, our measures have proved to work and should they need to be reintroduced in future if the situation were to escalate then we’ll do so on health advice.”
Some provisions of the Act put in place in May 2022 include:
This Bill will ensure the Emergency Management Amendment (COVID-19 Response) Act 2020 and the Criminal Code Amendment (COVID-19 Response) Act 2020 can continue to be in place as required, as they have been vital in the State’s successful management of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Under Section 72A of the Emergency Management Act, it makes provisions for a number of directions to be used to manage the pandemic. Some of these directions include:
- seven day isolation requirements for COVID-19 positive cases;
- use of face masks for close contacts;
- measures ensuring cruise ships are managed against strict protocols;
- restriction of movements in and out of Aboriginal communities – a vulnerable cohort in the COVID-19 pandemic; and
- use of face masks in specific settings including hospitals, aged care and disability facilities, and other passenger transport settings.
- The Bill provides better protections for WA Police officers, and also ensures increased penalties for serious assaults and threats against frontline officers and healthcare workers who play a significant part in keeping Western Australians safe, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The penalties of up to 10 years in jail reflect the seriousness of deliberately coughing or spitting on public officers who are trying to help keep the State safe.
The new Bill will provide certainty for those necessary provisions to be utilised as necessary and based on health advice, until January 3, 2023. It does not mean the State of Emergency will remain in place until that time, as it may end earlier.
WA Police seize 3D printed gun
West Australian police just can’t help themselves. While we know WA, like its Victoria counterpart has become a communist enclave both led by megalomaniacs they have been conditioned by socialist main stream media to hate guns.
Like Queensland the unintelligent WA cops think only they should own and carry firearms. Communist Premier Mark McGowan invited the CCP to build a large military-styled airstrip in the desert ostensibly to service their extensive mining interests.
It is just a hop, skip and a jump from a CCP aircraft carrier in the Indian Ocean for Chinese military aircraft to land and commence their planned Australian offensive.
It seems the cops are of the same ilk as their beloved Premier. They will soon find out their .40 calibre Glock pistols will be as useful as an air rifle when the Chinese troops come knocking on their doors.
Much more to the abduction of Cleo Smith in WA not yet published
By Rachael Knowles, National Indigenous Times
The Aboriginal man who was wrongly accused by 7NEWS as the abductor of 4-year-old Cleo Smith has started defamation proceedings.
On Tuesday, Terrance Flowers filed a statement of claim in the Western Australia Supreme Court against Channel Seven.
Flowers, also known as Terrance Kelly, was falsely accused by 7NEWS on November 3. The network posted to Facebook, Twitter, the Seven website and on television.
In a statement O’Brien Criminal and Civil Solicitors, who are representing Flowers, said Flowers had “nothing to do with it and was never a suspect in the case”.
“Mr Flowers recently became a father and like everyone else throughout Australia, and particularly being a parent himself, he was hoping for Cleo’s safe return,” they said.
“Being identified as responsible for her abduction and disappearance was extremely distressing to him and his family.
“It is of great concern to Mr. Flowers and his family that a major media company would proceed with a story of this magnitude without being absolutely certain as to its accuracy.”
The law firm said the effect of the “substantial error” has been “devastating”
“The publications by the Seven Network led to Mr. Flowers being made the subject of hate around the nation and the world and resulted in him being hospitalised with a severe panic attack,” they said.
The matter is now before the WA Supreme Court.
O’Brien Criminal and Civil Solicitors has asked that Flowers and his family’s privacy is respected throughout the court process.
West Australian court decision leaves all mining leases insecure and subject to claim jumpers
by Robert J Lee
A West Australian mining company, Kimberley Minerals, was accused of claim-jumping and fraud in the WA Mining Warden’s Court by advertising for development funds for a lease it did not own.
The decision handed down by Warden John O’Sullivan on June 18 has rendered all leases insecure, valueless and wide open to claim jumping according to Spinifex Abrasives Queensland shareholder Mr John Koehler.
Kimberley Minerals CFO, Peter Newcomb. The company has not replied to a query about directors’ relationship with Warden John O’Sullivan
The company had spent considerable funds on exploration drilling and attracting investors over a number of years but this fact was disregarded by Warden O’Sullivan.
“Warden O’Sullivan ruled off-lease, related costs such as prospectus developments, engineering, environmental assessments and marketing cannot be allowed as a lawful form of required expenditure which means a lease can be forfeited at the whim of a mining warden without any basis at law,” Mr Koehler said.
“This ruling means that field work would have to be repeated endlessly and needlessly, long after completion of necessary exploration or risk having the tenement forfeited.
“This ruling has grave implications for mining-related Australian Taxation Office claims since 1978.”
Photographic evidence showing Kimberley Minerals staff trespassing on Spinifex Abrasive’s lease to take samples then being falsely represented in a prospectus and advertised on LinkedIn was tabled in the court.
This photographic evidence was not denied by Kimberley Minerals.
Warden O’Sullivan in his judgement ignored this damning evidence which if proven under the 1978 Mining Act prohibits an offender from holding any leases in Western Australia.
Jonathon King, Exploration Manager
Dr Derek Fisher, Chairman Kimberley Minerals
Arguing the case was Spinifex Abrasives director and geologist Laurie Molloy who said he was forced to appear in court by Warden O’Sullivan in spite of a medical certificate describing serious injuries he received after a fall.
“The Warden said he would issue a warrant for my arrest if I didn’t show up in court. When I got to court I took off my shirt to show the Warden the physical injuries I had which slowed me down considerably,” Mr Molloy explained.
Kimberley Minerals did not answer a query from Cairnsnews about any relationship between its company directors and Warden O’Sullivan after speculation of widespread corruption in the mining industry following the Warden’s finding.
The company did not reply to a query if it had continued to publicly or otherwise source development funds from investors for the disputed lease since the court hearing in November 2019.
Warden O’Sullivan ordered the lease be forfeited to Kimberley Minerals.
Police state Western Australia forces leg bracelets onto those in lockdown
Tracking bracelets, fines for not self-isolating
from the ABC
The West Australian Labor Government has sought the power to electronically monitor people who fail to self-isolate, using tracking bracelets or in-home trackers.
Tampering with a device could result in 12 months in jail or a $12,000 fine.
That move follows a police clamp down on people leaving their home after being directed to self-isolate.
In addition, the Government would be asking Parliament to grant police the power to issue on-the-spot fines for failing to obey self-isolation or public gathering directives.
Those fines would be $1,000 for individuals and $5,000 for businesses, and followed WA moving to “stage three” COVID-19 restrictions that involved shutting down playgrounds and skate parks.
Premier Mark McGowan said the measures, along with a move to restrict gatherings to two people, were harsh but a reality.
“The idea that I am going to give someone a $1,000 fine for three people walking around together is abhorrent, but it’s necessary,” he said.
Chinese scramble for expired pastoral leases in WA
All pastoral leases in Western Australia are due to expire in June this year leaving the door open for the Chinese-owned Shanghai Zhongfu, trading as Kimberley Agricultural Investments, and other Chinese Government companies to get control of large swag of the state’s pastoral properties.
As previously reported in the Cairns News this Chinese company, with Bob Hawke as its lobbyist, was controversially granted 15,200 ha of the Ord West Bank irrigation scheme, developed by the government at a cost of $450m. Australian farmers were the losing bidders.
China President Xi Jinping
The company plans to develop extensive cane growing and sugar milling projects.
Any purchases should now be scrutinised by changes to the Foreign Ownership of Land Register where land sales of more than $15 million will have to be disclosed.
This new rule does not prevent a sale to foreign countries.
The Ord River Irrigation Scheme
7,000 Brumbies Slaughtered Without Owners Permission
Slaughtered Brumby in the WA Kimberleys a National disgrace
On the 20th October 2013 at the Western Australian East Kimberley’s around Lake Gregory became a killing field for over 7,000 brumbies, executed from mustering helicopters conducting an aerial cull with shooters using military SLR rifles, leaving mortally and seriously wounded horses across the landscape, all sanctioned by the RSPCA saying “it demanded the brumbies be killed instantly through an accurately-fired shot, through the head or thorax”.
No question a culling was required, with many options available, proven humane which aerial shooting is not one of them.
So we ask this question, “why the traditional owners of the land and all the brumbies, were not consulted by the lessees, the WA Minister and the RSPCA over this disgraceful execution of their heritage horses?”
Read the full story [HERE] on the Snowy Brumby blog site
Cairns News 