A West Australian MP for the Legalise Cannabis Party has been suspended from WA Parliament after a motion was passed requiring proof of vaccination.
The motion, which passed the upper house this afternoon, requires MPs to be triple-vaccinated against COVID-19, if eligible, or provide a valid exemption.
Two MPs have refused to publicly reveal their vaccination status: the Legalise Cannabis Party's Sophia Moermond and Liberal MP Nick Goiran.
After the motion passed, Ms Moermond gathered her things and quietly left the upper house chamber.
But Mr Goiran remained in the chamber.
During debate on the motion, Mr Goiran reiterated his position was that he was in favour of vaccines but he felt the measure was a breach of privacy.
"I would have thought that one or more members opposite would have had an understanding of the principles of natural justice and would understand how repugnant it is for us to be simply passing a motion that might see one or more members escorted from the chamber at some point today."
MP describes vaccine as 'medical apartheid'
Meanwhile, Sophia Moermond used the debate to deny the science behind the vaccines.
She also described the mandate as medical apartheid.
In summing up what she had heard during the debate on the motion, the leader of the government in the upper house, Sue Ellery, said she had heard "hyperbole, hypocrisy, and some common sense".
"Unfortunately, from my point of view, there was less of the latter," she said.
Ms Ellery said the measure was based on health advice and parliament should be no different to other workplaces.
"Employers across Western Australia have had to adjust their work arrangements to manage the risk based on which of their employees are vaccinated or have a valid exemption," she said.
"Parliament House is a workplace, for us as members and for the staff, the presiding officers and their managers need to know the status in order to manage the risk."
Child sex-accused MP faces Parliament
Also making an appearance in WA Parliament today was now independent MP James Hayward, who resigned from The Nationals shortly after he was charged with child sex abuse offences last year.
The member for the South West region is yet to enter a plea and remains on bail.
Mr Hayward made a controversial appearance in the chamber last year that lasted just seconds in order to continue receiving his salary.
Today he twice addressed the chamber to ask questions about health care in Bunbury and the proof-of-vaccination requirements for bottle shops.
Mr Hayward is due to appear in court again later this month.
WA border takes centre stage in question time
Meanwhile, the state opposition used question time in the lower house to focus on when the WA border might open and when Omicron-based modelling might be published.
The Premier this morning revealed he would make an announcement about the border opening in February, but he did not elaborate further in parliament.
Mark McGowan also continued to defend his decision to cancel the February 5 border opening without setting a new date.
"Had I followed the pig-headed route and said February 5 was the date no matter what, then lots of people would have died unnecessarily while we get our third-dose vax rate up," he said.
Health Minister Amber-Jade Sanderson was also asked when she would publicly release Omicron-based modelling being used to make decisions on the border.
But Ms Sanderson said the government would not wait to have six months of data before publishing modelling but did not elaborate further than to say it would be released when it was "complete".
WA faces 'challenging times ahead': Premier
"This year Western Australians will be experiencing many of the realities of daily life with COVID in the community, and the difficulties and uncertainties that come with it," Mr McGowan said.
"For the first time in the two years since the pandemic began, we have an outbreak we will not be able to eliminate.
"2022 will have economic headwinds, there is undoubtedly geopolitical uncertainty, and even a federal election on the cards, there are undoubtedly challenging times ahead for Western Australia."
But he said it was not the first time West Australians had faced challenges and that they would again rise to the challenge.
Mr McGowan went on to detail health measures taken to prepare the state, and detailed economic successes.
Broad parliamentary agenda unveiled
He went on to detail an expansive parliamentary agenda, including measures to police bikies gangs, improve bail laws, facilitate investment in infrastructure and health, to reform local government, and promote more green energy solutions.
"Our work here makes a concrete difference, and the parliament has a lot of work to do this year, we have a full agenda, and we will have to do it in difficult circumstances, as we experience the impact of the Omicron variant," he said.
"But just as I know Western Australians will rise to the occasion, so must we."
Parliament also looked a little different with social distancing measures being employed and the lower house is set to trial MPs appearing via video with two monitors installed in the chamber.
And outside there was one of the largest police presences the WA Parliament has seen as several hundred anti-vax protesters gathered outside the building after marching through the CBD.
