COVID-19: Vasse MP Libby Mettam slams State Government ServiceWA app

Among the already existent complacency within the community surrounding the vaccination mandate, the McGowan Government’s long-awaited Service WA is also proving to be a miss within the Capes.

While the new app was designed to streamline services holding check-in, G2G and proof of vaccination all in the one spot, Vasse MP and shadow health minister Libby Mettam said it is making the process even more complicated.

“Initial feedback has included comments that it is clunky and hard to navigate the multiple sites required to access a digital ID and the vaccination certificates and that many people have simply given up,” she said.

“The McGowan Government has had more time than any other government on the planet to prepare for the inevitable arrival of COVID into our community and get this right.

“Other States have had this app set up for months and it appears that this is very much a substandard version, and the government has squandered its “gift of time” to ensure it is first-class, as Western Australians would expect.”

She also expressed her concerns for people’s privacy and how the substantial amount of personal details required to be given on such apps might be used.

“We know that despite the Premier’s hollow assurances when SafeWa was first launched, the data was accessed by third parties and the McGowan Government has . . . (been) negligent with Western Australian’s private data,” she said.

“It’s imperative the Government outlines what safeguards have been put in place, beyond verbal reassurances, to ensure that people’s private data will be protected when using this new app.”