Western Australia remains under fire from the east coast over slow vaccination rates and little enthusiasm for reopening their state border.

The national vaccination rate has now surpassed the 70 per cent milestone for entering Phase B of the Doherty Institute-recommended roadmap, but WA’s over 16 population is just 57.6 per cent fully vaccinated.

Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt told Jim Wilson he’s eager to see Australians’ “natural right” of movement to visit loved ones for births, weddings and funerals reinstated.

“The great elements of human life and the journey, that’s what being a full, whole country is about.

“These are extraordinary measures that are emergency in nature.

“We cannot have a permanent state of bio-autocracy.”

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