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Current COVID-19 restrictions in Western Australia will be extended for another two months to allow for the outbreak in Victoria to come under control.
As such, WA will move to Phase 5 of its restriction easing roadmap on Saturday 24 October.
The delay also means the 2020 Perth Royal Show has been cancelled.
"I know this will cause some frustration and problems for some parts of our community," says WA Premier Mark McGowan (pictured).
"We're trying to find the right balance here between protecting our community and keeping our economy as open as possible.
"While we have had no community transmission in Western Australia for 129 days now, we simply can't afford to get complacent because the virus could sneak back into Western Australia it spreads like wildfire."
As such, the following Phase 4 restrictions will remain in place:
- Gathering limits only determined by WA's reduced 2 square metre rule
- The 2 square metre rule will only include staff at venues that hold more than 500 patrons
- Removal of seated service requirements at food businesses and licensed premises
- No requirement to maintain patron register at food businesses and licensed premises
- Alcohol can be served as part of unseated service arrangements
- All events permitted except for music festivals
- Unseated performances permitted at venues such as concert halls, live music venues, bars, pubs and nightclubs
- Gyms operating unstaffed, but regular cleaning must be maintained
- The casino gaming floor reopening under agreed temporary restrictions.
Phase 5 would see remaining restrictions removed, except WA's hard border and access to remote Aboriginal communities.
It would also see the removal of WA's 2 square metre rule and the 50 per cent capacity limit for major venues.
"We have been fortunate enough to remain in Phase 4," says McGowan.
"This has been crucial to kickstarting our economy and providing West Australians with the freedoms we experience.
"By remaining in Phase 4 for longer it assists us in reducing the numbers of people who could be potentially exposed, or requiring health responses, should an outbreak occur."
The extension comes as Western Australia records just one new case of COVID-19 today: a returned overseas traveller in hotel quarantine.
On the east coast Victoria has recorded its lowest number of new confirmed cases of COVID-19 in a month today, with 222 new cases.
The state also confirmed 17 new deaths from COVID-19, down from 25 on Monday.
New South Wales reported just three new cases today including one in hotel quarantine.
Updated at 1:03pm AEST on 18 August 2020.
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