Western Australia's premier will proceed with setting a border reopening date, having been reassured about the severity of the Omicron coronavirus variant.
The announcement is likely to be made early next week when WA's double-dose vaccination rate for residents aged 12 and over reaches 80 per cent.
State and federal leaders were briefed by the chief health officer about the Omicron variant at Friday's national cabinet meeting.
"The initial information suggests that while the new variant is more transmissible, it is potentially less severe," Mr McGowan wrote in a Facebook post.
"This is good news. It means that in coming days ... we will be in a position to finalise the implementation date of our Safe Transition Plan.
"The implementation date will be in line with when we expect WA to achieve a 90 per cent double dose rate."
WA's vaccination rate is expected to reach 90 per cent in late-January or early-February, having climbed to 79.3 per cent on Friday.
The premier urged West Australians to get their booster dose when eligible to ensure they had the best protection against the new variant.
"Everyone should feel confident - that with a very high vaccination rate, sensible public health measures, and a community that's always done the right thing, Western Australia will be ready to safely transition its border controls," Mr McGowan said.
"There are a few things that will change when that happens, because it means we will inevitably have COVID in the community.
"But now that we have had this essential briefing, it means we can proceed on our path as planned, with confidence."
Australian Associated Press
