Three More COVID-19 Cases in Perth

Here we go again.  Just as the current lockdown restrictions were being eased Perth has three new cases.  All are linked to the current hotel quarantine system and are not linked to the previous breaching involving cross contamination between hotel rooms.  This time it’s another hotel security guard at a different hotel who has contracted the virus.  He then spread it when he returned to his accommodation he shares with seven others, two of which have also contracted COVID.  The man had recently received his first injection of the Pfizer vaccine and initially thought his symptoms were a side effect of the vaccine.

The State Premier is once again criticising the hotel quarantine system and points out in the media that the Commonwealth (ie, Federal Government) is responsible for human quarantine in the constitution.  Is he right?

The Commonwealth became responsible for human quarantine with the passing of the 1908 Quarantine Act.  However as the Commonwealth didn’t have officials at the borders to perform quarantine services it required support from State and Territory health departments

In 2012 the Commonwealth and States mutually agreed to an Implementation Plan under which the Commonwealth was responsible for:

1. Administering the 1908 Act
2. Providing advice and guidance to the States
3. Developing procedures to be used by the States
4. Providing training to State officials
5. Reviewing State performance and providing a financial contribution 

The State governments are responsible for:

1. Resourcing the plan
2. Deciding whether quarantine of arriving individuals is warranted
3. Ensuring appropriate treatment is provided to persons in quarantine

It appears the Federal government has overall responsibility under the 1908 Act but State governments are responsible for actual quarantine implementation.  Yet another example of confusion when various levels of government are involved and politics comes into play!

Meanwhile I have discovered being lazy results in additional work.

There is a lawn water reticulation pipe under the dust extractor pad and I decided not to relocate it when digging the evacuations for the pad.  The reticulation came on this morning and a geyser appeared beside the concrete pad.  Apparently I nicked the pipe with the spade during my digging and I now have a leak.  More digging to replace and relocate the pipework.  Should have done it properly in the first place!