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'We're keeping NSW alive': Mark McGowan claims millions should be GRATEFUL his state 'bank rolls' the rest of the nation - as he defends WA's endless border closures

Mark McGowan has gone on the attack again against the federal government, saying Scott Morrison and New South Wales should be 'grateful' that the Western Australia workforce 'has kept them alive'.

The Labor state leader took aim at Treasurer Josh Frydenberg and the Coalition for threatening to cut off support payments to rogue states who refuse to tow the line on reopening when vaccination targets reach 70 and 80 per cent.

He said keeping the state's resources sector protected against the virus WA has helped pump 'countless billions' into the federal treasury which has then been used to support the 'catastrophic' Covid situation in NSW.

'Frankly the WA workforce and the WA taxpayers are keeping the Commonwealth government and NSW alive,' he said on Monday.

'Perhaps instead of attacking us, they should show a bit of gratitude and appreciation for what Western Australia has done.'        

Mark McGowan (pictured) has gone on the attack against the federal government, saying Scott Morrison and New South Wales should be 'grateful' for Western Australia keeping their states 'alive'

Mark McGowan has gone on the attack against the federal government, saying Scott Morrison and New South Wales should be 'grateful' for Western Australia keeping their states 'alive'

The Labor state leader took aim at Treasurer Josh Frydenberg and the Coalition for threatening to cut off support payments to rogue states who refuse to tow the line on reopening when vaccination targets reach 70 and 80 per cent. Pictured: Pedestrians walk through Yagan Square in the Perth CBD wearing face masks

The Labor state leader took aim at Treasurer Josh Frydenberg and the Coalition for threatening to cut off support payments to rogue states who refuse to tow the line on reopening when vaccination targets reach 70 and 80 per cent. Pictured: Pedestrians walk through Yagan Square in the Perth CBD wearing face masks

The Federal Government has been urging cautious states such as WA and Queensland to stick to the national re-opening plan set out by the Doherty Institute which phases out lockdowns in two stages when 70 and 80 per cent of over 16s are vaccinated.

The plan, which opens international borders when 80 per cent are jabbed, makes no mention of state borders - but Scott Morrison and Mr Frydenberg have been encouraging leaders to open up because eliminating Covid is 'unsustainable'.  

After a National Cabinet meeting on Friday, Mr McGowan declared he would not 'deliberately infect' his citizens and insisted he would keep state borders closed if WA was Covid-free when it reached the 70 per cent vaccination mark. 

The Federal Government is currently supporting states' restrictions with bailouts for business and direct $750-a-week payments to workers - but Mr Frydenberg says the tap will soon be turned off, leaving any pro-lockdown state to support itself.

'When it comes to Federal Government support which is now tracking at more than $1billion per week, I have been very clear that there can be no expectation from the states and territories that that support can be expected once we hit those 70 per cent and 80 per cent targets,' he told Sunrise on Monday morning.

'Asked if he was threatening to cut off their cash, Mr Frydenberg added: 'There should be no expectation that the Federal economic support that we are providing right now can continue that way.' 

Western Australian Premier Mark McGowan declared he would not 'deliberately infect' his citizens. Pictured: Cottesloe Beach in restriction-free WA

Western Australian Premier Mark McGowan declared he would not 'deliberately infect' his citizens. Pictured: Cottesloe Beach in restriction-free WA

Pressed on whether states keeping their borders closed would plunge Australia into recession, the Treasurer said: 'Well, it certainly will cost jobs. It certainly will see businesses close. It will see our debt burden increase and it will see the well-being of Australians suffer. 

'You could have the ridiculous situation where somebody in NSW could travel to Canada before they could go to Cairns or somebody in Victoria could travel to Singapore and Bali before they could go to Perth. That would be ridiculous. 

'That is why it is so important that the agreed national plan is adhered to by the states and the territories,' he said.  

Mr McGowan addressed the Treasurer's comments on Monday morning, telling reporters he find the remarks 'odd'.  

'NSW is in a catastrophic situation and he's worried about people flying to Bali. Perhaps instead of attacking us they should show a bit of gratitude and appreciation for what Western Australia has done,' the Premier said.

'Over the course of last 19 months we kept all have our industries open. 

'We kept our mining industry open and COVID free, we poured countless billions of dollars into the federal treasury, which they are now pouring countless billions of dollars into NSW.'

Sydneysiders gather at Bondi Beach as the city enters its tenth week in Covid lockdown

Sydneysiders gather at Bondi Beach as the city enters its tenth week in Covid lockdown

London Court in the Perth CBD is seen during lockdown on June 29, with the state only seeing a handful of Covid outbreaks since the pandemic began

London Court in the Perth CBD is seen during lockdown on June 29, with the state only seeing a handful of Covid outbreaks since the pandemic began

Opposition leader Anthony Albanese said the federal government was trying to pick a fight with Labor states.

'Mark McGowan has kept Western Australians safe. He's done an outstanding job,' Mr Albanese told ABC Radio National on Monday.

'But what you have is Josh Frydenberg and Scott Morrison looking to distract from their own failures to distract from the fact that they haven't responded to recommendations that had been made to them.

'There's no wonder that there's some frustration from the State premiers that have been taking action.'

He insisted Mr McGowan and Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk had not threatened to derail the plan.

Both have endorsed the plan at three National Cabinet meetings.  

Prime Minister Scott Morrison (pictured during a pre-brief for a National Cabinet meeting on Friday) wants Australia to open up once 70 per cent of adults are vaccinated

Prime Minister Scott Morrison (pictured during a pre-brief for a National Cabinet meeting on Friday) wants Australia to open up once 70 per cent of adults are vaccinated

Some states are threatening to keep their borders closed or require higher jab rates before scrapping lockdowns, raising the prospect that Australia will remain a divided nation for months to come

The 70 and 80 per cent rates were stipulated by the Doherty Institute which found that if optimal testing and tracing is maintained there would be only 88 Covid hospitalisations, 21 ICU admissions and 13 deaths nationally in the six months after the 70 per cent jab rate is reached.  

Queensland and Western Australia both demanded new modelling to take the recent high case load into account - but the scientists came back with the same conclusion that opening with 70 per cent jabbed is safe. 

Federal ministers, who want to revive the economy and give Australians their lives back, have piled pressure on states to stick to the plan by writing op-eds in local newspapers and threatening to turn off financial support to any recalcitrant governments.

At the other end of the scale, NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian is moving ahead of the plan, vowing to exempt vaccinated residents from restrictions once her state hits a 70 per cent jab rate, even though the plan requires a 70 per cent rate across the nation before any one jurisdiction can move to phase B.  

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews, while initially cautious about opening up, has endorsed the plan and increasingly moved away from his Covid elimination rhetoric, acknowledging that Victorians will have to live with the virus - and South Australia has also backed the plan.  

Residents Coolangatta on the New South Wales and Queensland border protest against restrictions on Sunday

Residents Coolangatta on the New South Wales and Queensland border protest against restrictions on Sunday

What are the four phases of opening up? 

A. Vaccinate, prepare and pilot (from July 14)

Arrival caps cut in half to 3,035 a week; early, stringent and short lockdowns if outbreaks occur; trials of seven-day home quarantine for vaccinated arrivals in South Australia; medicare vaccination certificates available on apps like apple wallet   

B. Post vaccination phase (when 70 per cent are jabbed, expected late this year)

Lockdowns less likely but possible; vaccinated people face reduced restrictions; caps for unvaccinated arrivals increased; a larger cap for vaccinated arrivals with 'reduced quarantine requirements'; capped entry for students and economic visa holders  

C. Consolidation phase (when 80 per cent are jabbed, time not announced)

Only 'highly targeted' lockdowns; lifting all restrictions for outbound travel for vaccinated travellers; no caps for vaccinated arrivals; increased caps for students and visa holders; more travel bubbles being set up with countries such as Singapore; booster shots rolled out 

D. Final phase (percentage or time not announced)

Uncapped arrivals for vaccinated people without any quarantine and uncapped arrivals for unvaccinated people with testing before departure and on arrival 

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