CCIWA Chief Economist

Aaron Morey

CCIWA celebrates the reopening of Western Australia’s borders alongside thousands of businesses today.

It brings with it hope to those businesses that rely on the movement of people into and out of our state, including those in the tourism, hospitality, events, entertainment and international education sectors.

WA businesses can now directly engage with customers, partners, investors and workers around Australia and the world, putting them on a more even footing with competitors outside the state.

It will begin to ease our chronic worker shortages, which are impeding the growth of four in every five businesses.

An open border also means more passenger aircraft flights, an important component of supply chain movements.

Western Australia’s reopening comes after a period of prolonged uncertainty, acute costs and false starts.

From today however, we only look forward.

It is critical that WA strongly signals to the world that the era of unpredictable border closures, snap lockdowns and uncertainty are behind us. That will ensure we have the best opportunity to attract the world’s best and brightest talent, as well as the international investment so desperately needed to diversify our economy.

CCIWA acknowledges the resilience of the WA business community during the era of border restrictions, and thanks the State Government for introducing measures to ease the impacts they have faced. Together we will continue working to rebuild and renew Western Australia’s outward-looking, globally-focused mindset; to diversify our economy and build the next phase of our state’s prosperity.