Legislative Council - Fifty-Fifth Parliament, First Session (55-1)
2022-11-30 Daily Xml

Contents

COVID-19 Direction Accountability and Oversight Committee

The Hon. R.A. SIMMS (12:38): I move:

That the report of the committee be noted.

Just very briefly, I want to thank all of the members of the committee. Members may recall that this committee was established in response to a bill that the government introduced some time ago that was to deal with COVID as part of the Public Health Act.

A committee was established that comprised of members of this place as well as the House of Assembly. The committee met several times and heard evidence from a range of people, including the Chief Medical Officer, Nicola Spurrier; the police commissioner, Grant Stevens; and some epidemiologists with significant experience in terms of modelling the implications of the COVID-19 pandemic.

I wish to thank the members of the committee: the Hon. Ms Bourke and the Hon. Stephen Wade, Mrs Ashton Hurn, Ms Sarah Andrews and the secretariat of the committee, Mr Guy Dickson. The only recommendation of the committee was that there should be a committee of the parliament that considers management of COVID going forward and reviews any potential changes that may occur. That is a matter that I intend to progress in the new year and talk to members across the political divide about to see if there is an appetite to establish such a committee in 2023. With that, I conclude my remarks.

Debate adjourned on motion of Hon. I.K. Hunter.