Western Australia (WA) will be spending $77 million to support businesses hit by the state’s continued border closures. WA had planned to reopen its interstate borders for Feb. 5, abruptly backflipping on its decision in fear that two doses of vaccination did not effectively protect against the Omicron variant of the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus. Industry groups had slammed the move over the “severe and long-lasting ramifications for the state and the nation.” Industries that were most damaged included tourism and international education, with overseas students—most of which came from China—contributing to a significant portion of the state’s GDP prior to the pandemic. In all, the tourism industry contributed $10.5 billion to the state’s economy, while a report commissioned by StudyPerth (pdf) estimated that in 2019, the 53,404 international student enrolments in WA boosted the state’s GDP by $2.1 billion. To help alleviate the financial loss, $35 million will …