CCIWA CEO

Chris Rodwell

CCIWA welcomes the Premier’s confirmation that a plan to transition away from emergency COVID-19 measures will be released on Friday.

This has been a major priority for CCIWA. A plan is critical to help alleviate uncertainty for our members, particularly those operating across international and interstate borders, and in sectors like events, tourism, hospitality and accommodation.

CCIWA has called for a plan since June 2020 and has made consistent representations to the Government to outline critical elements we hope to see in the plan. This includes clarification of the threshold at which travel restrictions and the use of economic lockdowns will ease. It is critical the plan includes measures to relieve WA’s crippling skill shortages and options for business to access critical overseas workers. It should also outline how quarantine requirements will vary for vaccinated and unvaccinated arrivals.

The State Government’s successful management of COVID, including border settings, has helped underpin critical sectors like mining and supported WA’s overall economic performance.  It is clear however that we are at the point where WA needs a pathway to phase out emergency settings and restrictions, as the rest of the nation forges ahead.

CCIWA continues to engage with the State Government and looks forward to the release of the plan. We are optimistic it will provide certainty to WA businesses, and a pathway to relief from skills shortages and supply chain pressures.