WA opposition leader Mia Davies has accused the McGowan government of using its majority in both houses to ram through amendments to existing COVID-19 laws which would extend state of emergency powers to January 4 next year.

Davies told 6PR Mornings host Liam Bartlett the Opposition would be briefed on the amendments on Tuesday but was told the government wanted them passed through the lower house by this evening.

“This is an unbelievable abuse of power by this government, very arrogant,” she told Bartlett.

The amendments would give the state continued powers to enforce mask mandates, isolation requirements, close contact rules and proof of vaccination requirements for aged care facilities and hospitals.

“I’m absolutely sure this government could achieve those outcomes looking after the most vulnerable in the community ... without extending these powers,” she said.

A state of emergency was first declared on March 15, 2020 and has been rolled over fortnightly ever since, with the extension coming as WA's COVID-19 cases reached a record 12,390 on Tuesday, the highest in the nation, with 61,755 active cases currently across the state.

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United Workers Union WA State Secretary Carolyn Smith, the national director for aged care, said thousands of aged care workers will walk off the job in WA, SA and Queensland today demanding better pay and minimal staffing requirements.

She told Liam Bartlett on 6PR Mornings that $22 per hour was not acceptable, ahead of a rally through the CBD at 1pm today.

The strike action this afternoon from more than 4,500 staff across three WA facilities - Regis, Aegis and Hall & Prior - was not taken lightly.

"It's been a really difficult decision to take this action... we've given the providers a couple of weeks' notice, given them the ability to call in agency staff and work out their rosters, and our members are doing their action this afternoon, so not in the busy morning period where it would have that impact on the individual resident."  she said.

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The Australian Medical Association has lashed the WA government for its failure to plan and invest in the health system and its capacity after an extraordinary emergency alert was issue by St John's WA on Monday warning on delays in calling 000.

As the number of active COVID-19 cases in WA soared past 12,000 on Tuesday, hospitalisations were relatively minor, while ambulance ramping and delays to triple-0 responses are caused by just a slight increase in pressure on emergency departments, with a functioning health system incumbent on "more hospital beds and staff". 

"This is a real concern for every West Australian because if you have a car accident, if you have  an unexpected, severe, and urgent medical incident at home, minutes can mean the different between living and dying and that is what our ambulance service is here for, to come and pick us up and get us as quickly as possible to a hospital," AMA president Dr Omar Khorshid told Liam Bartlett on 6PR Mornings.

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Mornings with Liam Bartlett - Full Show 10th May 2022

Liam Bartlett will keep you up to date with all the latest breaking stories and issues on 6PR Mornings.

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Mornings with Liam Bartlett - Full Show 9th May 2022

Liam Bartlett will keep you up to date with all the latest breaking stories and issues on 6PR Mornings.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After many listener requests, the Mornings program took a look at some of the minor parties featuring in the upcoming Federal Election.

Joining Liam Bartlett on the panel was:

Paul Filing the Senate Candidate for Moore from One Nation

Dave Vos the Senate Candidate for Perth from Western Australia Party 

Rebecca Pizzey the Senate Candidate for WA Australian Values Party 

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After many listener requests, the Mornings program took a look at some of the minor parties featuring in the upcoming Federal Election.

Joining Liam Bartlett on the panel was:

Paul Filing the Senate Candidate for Moore from One Nation

Dave Vos the Senate Candidate for Perth from Western Australia Party 

Rebecca Pizzey the Senate Candidate for WA Australian Values Party 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Research from the University of Notre Dame's Institue for Health Research has revealed that 70 people died on Perth streets last year.

Professor Lisa Wood revealed the shocking number to Liam Bartlett on 6PR Mornings, stating that the research has shown how desperate the homelessness situation had become.

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Real Schools CEO, Adam Voigt says that the opposition has missed out on fixing the main issues in the education system with their recent announcement.

Improving education standards is the focus of the Federal Opposition's almost 150-million dollar election pitch to double the number of high achievers studying teaching and incentivise more professionals in other fields to retrain and improve career progression.

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The state branch of the Australian Nursing Federation wants the WA government to bring back some restrictions if and when hospitalisations reach 300.

WA secretary Mark Olson told Liam Bartlett on Friday masks and social distancing should be back on the table.

"I don't want to see elective surgery banned again and I certainly don't want to see ambulance ramping approaching...8000 hours, but that's what's going to happen unless the government brings back restrictions once we see hospitalisations going above 300; that's the critical figure for us," he said on 6PR Mornings. 

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