Morrison drops Commonwealth involvement in Palmer's 'hard border' legal fight
Prime Minister Scott Morrison has dropped the Commonwealth's involvement in mining billionaire Clive Palmer's legal challenge to the constitutionality of Western Australia's strict border restrictions.
The federal government faced a significant public backlash in WA after it joined the High Court action and insisted the state's decision to implement a indiscriminate ban on any Australian entering the state was contrary to the constitution's requirement that movement across state borders be "absolutely free".
In a letter to WA Premier Mark McGowan, the Prime Minister said he had ordered the back down "having taken into account the changed state of the pandemic that has worsened since these matters were first brought to the High Court" and the high level of concern regarding public health in WA.
"I consider, on balance, that we must set aside the normal convention in these circumstances and not continue the Commonwealth’s participation in this case," he said.
Mr Morrison denied the federal government objected to the decision of WA to close its borders.
"Decisions taken early in the outbreak of the pandemic were made with the best intentions and in necessary haste," he said.
"At the time, when several states, including Western Australia, Tasmania and South Australia, made these decisions the constitutionality of how these decisions were being made was not taken into account.
"I stress the Commonwealth raised no objections to these actions, however, did note the risk that constitutional issues would arise at a later time."
On Friday, Mr McGowan urged the Commonwealth to pull out of the High Court action.
disallowed/politics/western-australia/morrison-drops-commonwealth-involvement-in-palmer-s-hard-border-legal-fight-20200802-p55hon.html"There's no need for them to be involved," he said.
"I mean, we're in a pandemic. Constitutional niceties I think should go out the window."
McGowan owns morrison now.
This is the second massive U turn ,the fed libs have done in relation to WA, the first been the GST debacle.
Its has been widely expressed here in the west ,that even the dyed in the wool libs in the leafy western suburbs were going to vote labor over this( McGowans island in an island) strong border.
Raider
