News Articles for Roger Cook

WA authorities have begun a deep clean of the coronavirus-infected Al Messilah livestock ship, while crew aboard another vessel have returned negative tests.

Mathias Cormann has intensified his criticisms of WA's hard border, arguing the state government is now acting against public health advice.

The state's health minister has refused to say when WA will reopen its domestic border as eastern states struggle to suppress fresh COVID-19 outbreaks.

The state government has committed $13.3 million to establish a medical research centre in Perth.

Western Australia's health minister is urging the Commonwealth to take action on maritime crew arrangements after a second COVID-19 outbreak off the coast of Port Hedland.

Another six crew have tested positive to COVID-19 on a vessel off the coast of Port Hedland, the second outbreak to strike Western Australia in as many weeks.

A COVID-stricken ship off the Western Australian coast has set sail amid a virus scare aboard another vessel.

UPDATED: Professor Michael Quinlan AO, who was a well-known physician and one of the founders of the University of Notre Dame Australia, has passed away after a brief illness.

The state government has announced Synergy will investigate building a 100 megawatt battery.

St John Ambulance WA's contract with the Department of Health has been extended until June 2022, using a new funding model.

Australian Defence Force personnel are set to arrive in Port Hedland in Western Australia's north to help contain a COVID-19 outbreak linked to an offshore vessel.

The risk of more COVID-19 outbreaks looms when ship crews are eventually granted long-overdue changeovers, the state government warns.

Health Minister Roger Cook is confident a COVID-19 outbreak on a bulk carrier off Port Hedland will be resolved within a fortnight.

More COVID-19 cases are expected on a ship anchored off Western Australia's north-west coast after two crew members tested positive.

A Western Australian nurse who tested positive to COVID-19 while volunteering in Victoria has returned home with her six colleagues after making a full recovery

Western Australia will set up a new quarantine hotel and may reduce elective surgery to cope with an influx of returned travellers.

Four new coronavirus cases, all related to a family who returned from overseas, have been reported in Western Australia.

Police stations and a Kalamunda hospital are set to receive more than $100 million worth of upgrades under the latest instalment of the state government's economic recovery plan.

More than 50 Western Australian nurses will head to Victoria to help with the state's coronavirus outbreak in a volunteer capacity.

The Perth Children's Hospital Foundation and Telethon Kids Institute have committed $10 million in fundraising over five years to support a new respiratory research centre.

Western Australia is at war with Clive Palmer, the state's premier has declared, as the Commonwealth stopped short of backing a new border trial.

Local manufacturers could be eligible for up to $500,000 worth of funding as part of the state government's $10 million Local Capability Fund package.

Western Australia's border closures have sparked heated debate, yet there are some indications the economic impact may be less than contended.

Four builders including Multiplex and Lendlease have been shortlisted to complete major works under the $257 million expansion of Joondalup Health Campus, which will include new beds and operating theatres.

Arrivals from Victoria face mandatory 14-day hotel quarantine at their own expense in Western Australia while travellers from NSW will be tested immediately.

Western Australia has recorded eight new cases of coronavirus, pushing the state's active caseload to its highest point in five weeks.

Anyone who flies into Western Australia from coronavirus-stricken Victoria will be immediately tested for COVID-19 when they land and travellers from NSW could be next if the outbreak there worsens.

Western Australia will delay easing its final COVID-19 restrictions by at least two weeks as it monitors the outbreak in Victoria, which recorded 228 COVID-19 cases overnight.

Western Australia will tighten its border with the east coast from midnight as coronavirus cases continue to grow in Victoria, which reported 165 new infections overnight.

International arrivals into Western Australia are being capped at 525 people each week to avoid straining the state's COVID-19 hotel quarantining system.

ADCO Constructions has secured further work with the state government, this time to complete the $61.4 million redevelopment of the Newman Health Services centre.

The state government has ruled out bringing forward phase five of eased COVID-19 restrictions by one day to boost attendance at an AFL game in Perth.

Ramsay Health Care is proposing a redevelopment of Peel Health Campus in an effort to help meet increasing demand for health services in the region.

The federal government has refused an exemption to its live export ban that would have allowed 56,000 sheep to be transported to the Middle East, and they will now be sent to abattoirs in Western Australia.

Upgrades to the emergency department at Peel Health Campus will resume later this month, with the works awarded to Canning Vale-based contractor Devlyn Construction.

Restrictions on visiting hours at Western Australian public hospitals aimed at slowing the spread of coronavirus will be partially eased next week.

UPDATED: Six more members of the crew on a livestock ship docked in Western Australia have tested positive to the coronavirus, bringing the total to 12.

The state government will lift regional travel restrictions in time for the long weekend, with Premier Mark McGowan urging Western Australians to travel within the state and support local businesses.

Premier Mark McGowan has criticised a push by the NSW and federal governments for Western Australia to reopen interstate borders, citing the eastern states' inconsistent health advice and high rates of community transmission.

Western Australia has officially moved into the second phase of lifting some of its coronavirus restrictions, while recording no new infections and two recoveries overnight.