Mark McGowan signals the completion of the tunnel for the Forrestfield-Airport Link, says all six Metronet projects will still go ahead in 2020.

The Premier today hailed the “milestone” completion of the tunnel, highlighting the importance of “confidence-building projects” especially in the uncertainty of COVID-19.

More than 700 jobs have been linked to the Forrestfield-Airport Link, with Mr McGowan pointing to five other similar projects set to go ahead.

“Over the course of this year there will be six major construction work projects associated with Metronet,” he said.

The other projects include the Yanchep line, Thorlie-Cockburn line, the Ellenbrook line, the Mandurah carparking station, the Denny Avenue project and also a railcar manufacturing facility in Midland.

Traffic on major roads was also confirmed to have rebounded by 3 percent from last week, but public transport had seen a decline of almost 90 percent.

Mr McGowan said the State Government had asked the Commonwealth to “bring forward” infrastructure spending to “help us keep activity going”.

“We continue to hunt down projects and continue to stimulate the economy,” he said.

Mr McGowan also gave an update on coronavirus, signalling the resumption of some surgeries.

Elective surgeries to “partially resume” in WA by end of month

Mr McGowan confirmed while restrictions elective surgery would start being rolled back, this didn’t mean all procedures were back on the table.

“I expect after ANZAC day we will lift some restrictions, it won’t be a full resumption, it will be a partial resumption of elective surgeries – certain specific surgeries that are the more serious ones” he said.

Mr McGowan said colonoscopies and cataracts procedures would be looked at and confirmed the official decision would be made after a meeting of the Disaster Council tonight.

Aged care sector forced to allow in visitors

Mr McGowan said aged care providers needed to allow family visits, and could not block residents from seeing people.

“We’re going to advise the aged care sector, which do a great job, they need to adhere to the rules,” he said.

“A lot of aged care homes have been telling people they can’t visit their parents, that is not the rule.

“It’s not a ban on people at this point. For people who have parents in their last months or years of life is devastating.”

Concerns about domestic travel, but no bailout from WA for Virgin

Mr McGowan said he was concerned about the possible loss of Virgin.

“We need to have two airlines in the future,” he said.

“I’ve made contact with the mining industry to make sure FIFO flights will continue, so people will still be able to work.

“The Commonwealth really needs to work to ensure we have two airlines going forward.”

Mr McGowan said because it was a “national issue” the WA Government would not be putting money forward for a bailout.

Unemployment situation “is dire”

Mr McGowan said while WA was “not as bad” as other States like Tasmania – which relied so heavily on tourism – things were still “dire”.

“We have done a little bit better, but having said that, it’s pretty serious,” he said.

“We’ve done all sorts of stimulus measures… but it’s very bleak and it’s very dire.”

Swab checks in schools

Mr McGowan confirmed there would be “spot tests” at schools, with children likely to be randomly swabbed during the term.

“Temperature checking is not as effective,” he said.

“So it will more likely be swabs.”

Mr McGowan said he would be sending his children to school, but his advice to parents was that it was “personal choice”.

Re-opening of cafes and restaurants “not imminent“

While the Government would “look towards: what other restrictions could be lifted, Mr McGowan said re-opening of cafes and restaurants was a long way off.

“I do feel a lot for those people who invested their money,” he said.

“But it wont be in the first tranch of decisions we make… it’s not imminent.”

More Perth coronavirus update coverage on SoPerth.com.au

Watch: WA Premier Mark McGowan and Transport Minister Rita Saffioti MLA with an update on Metronet at the site of the new Bayswater train station.