WA's workplace vaccine mandates will be scaled back significantly from next week as the state removes more of its COVID restrictions.
Premier Mark McGowan said with a third-dose rate of 81.8 per cent and falling case numbers, the time was right to move to the next phase of restrictions.
"That soft landing means we now have new health advice that recommends more public health measures can be safely phased out," he said.
From Friday June 10, only people working in healthcare and health support in hospitals and primary care, and those working in residential aged and disability care, will be required to be vaccinated.
Vaccine mandates worked: McGowan
Mr McGowan said the mandates, which at one time applied to about 75 per cent of the state's workforce, had been "extraordinarily effective" in protecting the state from the worst of the virus by helping create world-leading vaccination rates.
That includes first and second dose rates that are now about 99 per cent.
But he said the new health advice recommended the mandates could be removed for most workers.
A cap on the number of unvaccinated citizens and permanent residents allowed into WA from overseas will also be removed.
From June 15, restrictions on people visiting remote Aboriginal communities will also be scrapped, although communities will be allowed to impose their own rules.
Worst case scenario averted in Indigenous communities
Tania Baxter is the CEO of Bidyadanga, about two hours south of Broome in the West Kimberley.
She said the community had a high vaccination rate and had managed the spread of COVID-19 effectively, with case numbers now on the decline.
"We've had COVID in the community and people haven't died which was the worst case scenario and what we were all fearful of," she said.
"For us, this is just another step towards the new normal, living with COVID and this pandemic.
She said there was still some apprehension about the potential jump in visitors such as grey nomads, but believed it "was time to open up and get back to normal".
"We're going to have to change our mindset because we have been hunkered down and living in fear for the last few years, [so] that's going to take a while to adjust to," she said.
"My concern is that there is a new variant that we're not already vaccinated for … but I'm confident that whatever comes in the future that we will be able to manage it."
Mask mandates continue in some settings
The changes mean the only remaining COVID rules are those requiring masks in certain settings, and visitor rules for hospital, aged- and disability care facilities.
"These will remain and they will continue to be monitored by the Chief Health Officer," Mr McGowan said.
The rules for those who test positive to COVID, and their close contacts, remain unchanged.
WA today recorded 8,452 new COVID cases and one death.
There are now 298 people in hospital with the virus – the first time that figure has been below 300 since mid-May.
Eight people with COVID are being treated in intensive care.
Employers can decide mandate rules
The removal of most mandates will mean individual employers will now have to decide whether or not to require their staff to be vaccinated.
"If they wish to still do it under workplace health and safety laws, they can do an analysis and still do it, and many private sector workforces will do it," Mr McGowan said.
He said most government departments and agencies, which together employ about 151,000 people, would allow those who are not vaccinated to return.
That would likely only affect about 500 people, although some may still be subject to "temporary" restrictions under workplace health and safety obligations.
Both the prison system and the Department of Fire and Emergency Services are currently considering whether to keep mandates in place.
Police end vaccine mandate
But Mr McGowan said the police force would be dropping its vaccination requirements.
"I'm not going to second guess the Police Commissioner on these things, he understands these issues much more than I do," he said.
Police officer Ben Falconer is among a number of people who had launched legal challenges to the mandates, or faced disciplinary proceedings resulting from the rules, which are currently working their way through the courts.
Mr McGowan said each situation would be dealt with on a case-by-case basis.
"There may be a range of reasons for disciplinary proceedings, not just the refusal to comply with lawful directions," he said.
"At the time people refused to comply, they were refusing to comply with a lawful direction and that still stands."
In a statement, WA Police said more than 99 per cent of its workforce was vaccinated, with 97 per cent triple-dose vaccinated.
A police spokesperson said disciplinary proceedings and managerial processes in relation to a "small number" of unvaccinated officers and staff would continue.
Doctors, builders welcome mandate change
The changes, particularly to vaccine mandates, have been welcomed by many, including the Australian Medical Association and the Master Builders Association.
"It seems a reasonable thing to do," AMA WA President, Mark Duncan-Smith said.
"Lifting mandates at this stage really isn't going to make a big difference to the total numbers of COVID."
But Dr Duncan-Smith criticised the government for "sitting on the fence" and leaving a grey area for individual employers.
Master Builders Association executive director John Gelavis had previously called for the mandate to be lifted to allow more construction workers to return to an overheated sector.
He said the mandate lifting could bring back as many as 5,000 workers who left the sector.
"Trade availability and certainly skilled trade has been a critical pinch point for the industry," Mr Gelavis said.
"That's caused, obviously, delays in building time frames, and those building time frames cause issues around cashflow for builders too.
"Today's announcement's going to allow the industry to breathe a sigh of relief for many of those workers and families that had decided not to be vaccinated and leave the sector."
Free flu jabs begin
The Premier also encouraged West Australians to get their flu jab, with the government offering free vaccinations this month.
Free jabs will be available at some GPs and pharmacies, as well as state-run vaccination clinics offering COVID vaccines.
From tomorrow a pop-up clinic will run at Victoria Park Central Shopping Centre, with another opening on Friday in Girrawheen.
At the moment, about 20 per cent of eligible West Australians have had their flu jab, compared to a record 37 per cent in 2020.
Mr McGowan said it was important for people to get vaccinated, with a particularly severe flu season expected in the weeks ahead.
