WA Premier Mark McGowan admits the “full picture was not clear” when he claimed the state had been left in the dark about a coronavirus outbreak on board a live export ship.
Key points:
- The Al Kuwait was allowed to dock in Fremantle by federal authorities
- The WA Government claimed it was not told crew members were ill
- But an email has revealed WA Health officials were informed on Friday
Health authorities are scrambling to manage a COVID-19 outbreak on the Al Kuwait, currently docked in Fremantle, after six cases were confirmed among its crew.
Mr McGowan yesterday lashed out at the federal Agriculture Department and Australian Border Force, claiming they knew days in advance of the health issues but had kept the state in the dark.
The State Government moved to clarify those initial comments overnight, admitting there had been an email from the Agriculture Department to WA Health raising some of the issues on board.
Today, Mr McGowan moved to explain yesterday’s response.
“Clearly yesterday, I did not have the information that I have now,” he said.
“I am disappointed that the email from the federal department to the PHEOC [Public Health Emergency Operations C