Mark McGowan to ask National Cabinet to consider stricter rules for cargo ships coming from Indonesia

Premier Mark McGowan will ask National Cabinet to consider strict new rules for cargo ships transiting through Indonesia. The promise comes as WA Health authorities scramble to deal with three separate COVID-19 crises on incoming ships — including ten positive cases on the BBC California berthed at Fremantle. Mr McGowan warned that recurrent crises posed a “risk” to WA. “I’ll raise it at national cabinet on Friday, about the ships coming from Indonesia and what can be done at an international level,” Mr McGowan said. “I’ll write to the prime minister as soon as I can about this.” However, the Premier stopped short of calling for a total ban on ships from Indonesia. “Obviously banning ships from Indonesia might have other consequences, and so that would be a last resort,” he said. “But certainly improving the protocols, and the arrangements of Indonesian ports, I think it's vitally important.” Indonesia is currently facing a serious outbreak of the Delta variant, with the country averaging 50,000 cases a day. The crisis has made its way to WA shores, with ten of the 14 crew members aboard the BBC California — which left Indonesia on July 11 — testing positive to COVID-19. The ship berthed in Fremantle on Monday after its captain requested medical attention for sailors onboard Four of its crew tested negative, three of whom have been transferred to hotel quarantine on land. WA Health authorities are also scrambling to interview two dozen port workers who may have come into contact with mariners from container ship Mattina, which docked at Fremantle Port between July 10 and 12 after visiting Indonesia. Nine Mattina crew members have since tested positive for the virus. Earlier this month, the MV Emerald Indah offloaded a COVID-19 positive crew member at Geraldton. The man remains in hospital in a stable condition. Mr McGowan assured the public that the state government would do all it could to prevent further off-shore outbreaks — but stressed that only vaccination provided a “pathway” out of the pandemic. The Premier defended the roll-out in WA, where fewer than 12 per cent of the population have received both jabs. “I do wonder sometimes if there's more vaccine vaccination hesitancy in Western Australia because we have less read of the virus than other states,” he said. “Get yourself vaccinated as soon as you possibly can.”