Fortress Western Australia open for Omicron

Fortress Western Australia’s border, the wall that even a distinct Queensland tycoon could not penetrate, is mostly open. As from today, March 3rd it is fully coming down. Well not quite fully, there are restrictions, mandates etc., however, from today, West Australians will once again join the Australian Commonwealth. 

It is with trepidation that our community enter the ‘Omicron’ wave. We are not ‘letting it rip’ as some less fortunate states have, we are slowly dipping our toes into the pandemic. And it seems currently, the wave is more like a bump. Not that we want to compete with the other states, we don’t mind if we don’t have the highest numbers!

You see we have had the chance to look at the big picture. Being a bit slow here, and behind the rest of Australia, as some may suggest, we have seen and observed the mistakes other Premiers have made. 

New South Wales previously managed by the ever-strong Gladys Berejiklian, quite a force to be reckoned with, told all of Australia how Covid-19 should be managed. No hesitancy or lack of confidence from her at media shows. Gladys even had our Prime Minister onboard, once labelling her decision as ‘the gold standard’. And she ran with this, looking down her nose at my hometown and our hard border, mocking our Premier. Fortunately, WA did not concede an inch to her bluntness, water off a duck’s back or as we say in the west, water off a black swan’s feather. 

Sadly, Gladys didn’t see her purpose move forward, she had to exit the political podium. A very silly mistake for a woman in politics – she dared to have a love interest, who incidentally was not too honest and supposedly influenced some decision making.

Dominic Perrottet with NSW Minister for Health Brad Hazzard’s help took up the reins, implementing Gladys’s determined direction and ‘ripped the NSW’s Covid-19 band-aid off’. The result, Covid-19 took control spreading its rampage too deep, too quick with many citizens left in fear and chaos. Masks, restrictions, PCR results taking too long, no RATs available. Chaos for sure! Health and Aged care suffered, too many Australians died.

Whereas here in Hicksville, on the sunny side of the border we watched and yes, tut-tutted. We were safe and cosy in our bubble, sipping our wine, and beer as we watched the sun set into the Indian Ocean. Our daddy Mark McGowan was looking out for us, leading from the front. He wanted higher vaccinations 70 per cent, 90 per cent, then boosters. All to keep that eastern state virus out. Some of us gave him super-hero status, though not all. 

Through this, the WA Premier gained many comrades. Oops! Sorry to use that term, but the little man from Qantas has been in my ear, seems he has been likening my home State to North Korea. Obviously, Alan Joyce has never holidayed in our vast state, or he would acknowledge the freedoms and carefree lifestyle we have had. 

As Mark McGowan, has learnt, super-hero power, does not mean no enemies. Many West Australians are not happy with the vaccine mandates, closed borders and tight restrictions. Others are livid at the job losses, the closing down of small businesses and loss of income generated from the mandates. 

It is understandable, people can be divided but Covid-19 did this, not one man. Our ‘Island within an Island’ is democratic governing doing its’ job. The Premier, aided by the Police Commissioner and the Chief Health Officer, just took a strong leadership role (as some would expect of a Premier), establishing rules and regulations to protect us all. He walked with us, through vaccines and lockdowns, showed his human side (beer at the local), wore the taunts, death threats, public condemnation handed out by the media and social keyboard warriors. 

One thing for sure, most sandgropers enjoyed hosting the 2021 AFL – Grand Final, at Perth Stadium. As if Victorians didn’t have enough to contend with before losing this major event, they had Daniel Andrews and his incompetent colleagues. They gave all Australians an insight and lesson on how NOT to manage a Covid-19 outbreak. I hope the ‘Garden State’ doesn’t hate us forever. 

Queensland doesn’t escape, you didn’t vaccinate backpackers. Naughty! Naughty! One of those snuck through our hard border. Gave us quite a turn, he was Delta positive! We had to quarantine half the nightclub population. An almost ‘keystone cop’ episode played before our eyes, with giggles escaping our masks watching the WA Police herd this party-loving demographic into buses and hotel accommodation. Unfortunately, we didn’t quite contain this outbreak it tasted and sipped its way through our precious wine region. We were strong though, followed the rules, closed nightclubs and pubs, and stayed home for a couple of weeks. 

Clive Palmer, hit our State hard, tried to break down the wall, and our Premier too, but even he didn’t have enough money or clout to make a dent. Still, he is trying to have another day in court, we appear to have damaged his ego.

So, to the rest of Australia, we are still here, and cross your fingers our open borders will remain, however, to share our carefree lifestyle, you must be triple vaccinated and abide by the rules and mandates. We aren’t backward here, maybe a little different, we drink, swear, and have fun, it is just that we have been superbly protected by our state government. 

You are welcome to join our bubble or just tut-tutt and shake your head at us on socials. We don’t care, we have been having a ball doing likewise.