Covid Western Australia: Mark McGowan hints WA residents could see rules eased by end of March

Western Australian Premier Mark McGowan has flagged he will ease his state’s tough Covid restrictions by the end of March if hospital admission rates remain low. 

Mr McGowan imposed Australia’s harshest coronavirus restrictions on his state last month – including home gatherings of no more than 10, a 50 per cent capacity limit for entertainment venues and a 150-person cap for restaurants and nightclubs.

Those ‘Level 2’ restrictions were on top of the state’s basic ‘Level 1’ measures, which allowed no more than 30 to gather in the home and enforced mask wearing in public places. 

The state leader on Saturday said he was looking to scrap the stricter level of rules within weeks. 

His comments came as WA recorded 4,300 new Covid cases on Saturday, down from the state-record 5,005 infections on Friday. 

‘We are very keen to try and end them [Level 2 restrictions] by the end of March and go back to Level 1,’ Mr McGowan told The West Australian.

‘I am extremely keen to get out of it [restrictions] because I know what it does.

‘It’s debilitating for businesses and difficult for people. But it’s another tool that is helping saves lives at this point of time so we just have to see at the end of March where we are at.’ 

Under Level 1 restrictions, venues such as Optus Stadium can host events with a 75 per cent crowd capacity rather than 50 per cent.   

Mr McGowan pointed to WA’s small number of hospital numbers and deaths as proof the tough measures and the state’s high vaccination rate are working.  

There are 103 Covid patients in hospital and two in the ICU in WA. In Victoria, there were 395 coronavirus patients in hospital when the state hit 5,000 cases in December.

‘[This is] a really amazing comparison of Western Australia to other states,’ he said.

The premier’s pledge comes despite there being just over 5,000 confirmed Covid cases on Friday in WA, and 4,300 on Saturday (pictured, a woman in Perth’s CBD)

WA Liberal deputy leader Libby Mettam has meanwhile called for a definitive end date for Covid restrictions.

‘Western Australians have stepped up with extremely high vaccination rates,’ she said.

‘Level 2 restrictions put an unnecessary impost on some small business. While the Premier has acknowledged the inconsistencies which overwhelmingly hurt small business, they have failed to address them.’

Mr McGowan opened the Western Australian borders on March 3 after long coming under criticism for his ‘hermit state’ zero-Covid approach. 

The premier is still in his own self-imposed quarantine period after flying home from NSW. 

Premier Mark McGowan is in isolation at the moment – despite opening his borders – after travelling to Sydney to give evidence at his defamation case with Clive Palmer (McGowan is pictured, with wife Sarah)

Mr McGowan volunteered to serve seven days in isolation after briefly flying to Sydney to give evidence in the Federal Court in a defamation suit brought by Clive Palmer. 

The premier has insisted upon quarantining in a serviced apartment to avoid any perception the border reopening date was chosen for his own benefit.

‘He wants to set a good example,’ Health Minister Jade Sanderson said.

‘He’s covering the cost out of his own pocket and he will be attending meetings (virtually) and managing the state as is appropriate.’