你最近可能听说了，澳洲政府预算中透露了财政部关于西澳重开州界的日期预测，即2021年4月份。

我要非常明确地告诉大家，西澳政府的立场没有改变。

我们会在健康建议说安全的时候重开州界。

预算中提到的日期仅是财政部作出的假设，而不是我们的卫生专家作出的假设，仅用于预算目的。

正如我们一直说的那样，西澳州界开放与否将取决于我们从首席卫生官员那里得到的健康建议——我们的专家正在密切关注澳洲东部的局势。

我知道很多人希望我提供一个边界何时可以重开的具体日期，但是现在，根据我们的健康建议，这是不可能的。

我理解许多人的担忧，尤其是那些迫切盼望与其他州亲人团聚的西澳民众——我的父母都住在新南威尔士州，现在，我们唯一的交流方式就是通过电话。

但我想向每个人保证，目前的州界封锁政策，可以保护每一个西澳人，保证西澳的安全和强大。

本周四提交的西澳财政预算中强调了一件事:

如果新冠病毒疫情在西澳大利亚州爆发，将对本州的经济和就业造成毁灭性的打击。

我们提交的预算数字非常令人鼓舞。我们的州即使不是世界上最好的州，也和其他地方一样经受住了这场全球危机，而且我们在几乎所有的经济统计数据上都是全国领先的。

而我们之所以能取得这样的成绩，就是因为我们能够比预期更早的接触社交限制，重启本州经济。

我们的社区相信西澳时安全的，他们有信心走出去，进行消费并创造就业机会。

财政部已经做了估计，如果疫情在西澳爆发，可能会让我们的地方经济损失56亿澳元，并将至少摧毁30000个西澳本地的工作岗位。

更不用说疫情会威胁到西澳民众的生命和健康。

我们根本无法承受——那将是一场灾难。

所以，在这次疫情中，我们遵循了医学专家的建议，采取了必要的行动来保护西澳大利亚，包括关闭州界。

而它已经为西澳带来了丰厚的回报。

因此，我们认为现在不是匆忙做出决定的时候，不是忽略那些让我们安全的健康建议的时候。

我知道，关闭州界对许多西澳大利亚人来说都很艰难——尤其是那些和我一样，有家人和朋友在西澳之外的人。

我可以向你们保证，西澳的州界不会关闭太久，但在此之前，我们必须坚持。

并保证西澳的安全与强大。

原文如下：

You may have recently heard that the State Budget included an assumption date by Treasury on the lifting of WA’s hard border.

I want to be very clear about this: the WA Government position has not changed.

We will lift the border when the health advice says it is safe to do so.

The date mentioned in the budget was an assumption made only by Treasury, not our health experts, and for Budget purposes only.

As we've always said, the removal of our hard border will depend on the health advice we receive from the Chief Health Officer - with our experts keeping a close eye on the situation over east.

I know many people would like me to provide a date on when the border could come down, but right now, based on our health advice, that is not possible.

I understand the concerns many people have, especially those who want to be able to see family from over east – my parents both live in New South Wales and right now, our only communication is over the phone.

But I want to assure everyone, that the border is in place to protect every Western Australian and keep our State safe and strong.

The figures in the Budget we delivered on Thursday did show one thing emphatically:

An outbreak of COVID-19 would be absolutely devastating for our State's economy and for WA jobs.

The budget figures we were able to hand down were very encouraging. Our State has weathered this global crisis as well as anywhere, if not the best in the world, and we are leading the nation on virtually all economic statistics.

This economic success is because we were able to open up our economy and lift restrictions faster than expected.

As a result our community has been confident that they are safe, they've been confident to go out, spend their money which helps support and create local jobs.

Treasury has done the work to estimate the damage that could be done if we were to see an outbreak now, and the numbers aren't pretty.

It would cost our local economy $5.6 billion dollars.

It would destroy at least 30,000 WA jobs.

And that's not to mention the lives and health of Western Australians that the virus would claim.

We simply can’t afford that – it would be a catastrophe.

Throughout this pandemic, we've followed the expert health advice and taken the action we needed to protect Western Australia.

It has paid off for our State's health, and it has paid off for local workers.

Now is not the time to make a rushed decision, and turn around and ignore that health advice, that has kept us safe.

I know the hard border has been difficult for many Western Australians - especially those of us with family and friends interstate.

I can promise you that the hard border will not last longer than it needs to - but until then it is crucial that we see this through.

And keep WA, safe and strong.