West Australian Premier Mark McGowan is set to give police the power to stop and search anyone entering the state in a return to tough pandemic-style security laws, according to a report.

Nine News reported that the proposed laws would be the toughest of any state or territory in the country.

I tried to warn you.

Mark McGowan is now bringing back pandemic-style powers for other uses indefinitely.

Once a dictator, always a dictator.
pic.twitter.com/549jvwv7Bk

— Avi Yemini (@OzraeliAvi) March 29, 2023

They are set to come into effect later this year and to be in place until 2028.

The government was justifying the laws by pointing to a dramatic decline in drug use while border closures were operating during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The legislation would mean that every traveller to Western Australia would be subject to stop and search laws at land crossings, ports, train stations and airports.

The laws would reportedly also give police the power to set up roadblocks where vehicles could be stopped and searched.