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Western Australia has halved the number of returned overseas travellers coming into the state this month as it grapples with its latest outbreak, but Premier Mark McGowan has flagged a more permanent reduction.

Declining to reveal his discussions with the Prime Minister at National Cabinet on the quarantine situation, he said “clearly the Commonwealth knows our position”.

“I wrote to the Prime Minister during the course of this week – in fact, twice – about these matters,” he said.

It comes after the premier accused the federal government of shirking its responsibility for quarantining returned travellers and handing responsibility over to the states.

Mr McGowan confirmed that WA will be removing three of its quarantine hotels from operation, one of which will be converted to house seasonal workers brought in from Tonga and Vanuata.

“That will mean we reduce the number of returning travellers to Western Australia significantly,” he said.

“Where we land and what our exact number we can take that we willadvise the Commonwealth of, we will do in the course of coming days, once we work out exactly what we can safely manage.”