Bridget Archer (Bass, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

Earlier today I stood here and spoke for about 15 minutes in support of JobKeeper, which is just one element of the Morrison government's response to COVID-19, and I'm glad to be back for another opportunity to talk about this, so I thank the opposition for that opportunity to show where we have met the challenges. Months on from the first crushing impact of the coronavirus, we are leading many other countries in the world. You only have to look at the situation across the world—in Italy, Spain, the USA, the UK and, of course, Mexico and Brazil—to understand how effective government policy and action have led the way here in Australia. These are uncharted waters, a dynamic and evolving challenge. But Australians, including those in northern Tasmania, have confidence in our government's response. The decisions made by the Morrison government have been decisive to protect the health of all Australians while trying to balance the devastating economic impact this crisis would bring, and it is working.

JobKeeper has effectively acted to protect the lives and livelihoods of Australians, keeping many Tasmanian businesses going and their valued employees connected. Over 2,800 businesses in my electorate of Bass are utilising the system, and each and every time I'm out in my community I am told what a lifeline it has been for employers and employees, providing certainty and security in a time of so much upheaval. I'd like to pay tribute to those many small businesses—in northern Tasmania in particular—that, with support from the government, have reimagined their businesses and adapted so quickly to this situation thrown their way, which was unimaginable just six months ago.

Other significant responses to the crisis include over $16 billion in payments to more than 750,000 businesses to boost cash flow; a 50 per cent wage subsidy supporting around 180,000 apprentices and trainees; up to 340,700 JobTrainer places for school leavers and jobseekers to upskill; the HomeBuilder program, supporting the residential construction industry, which has proved to be enormously popular in northern Tasmania, with many in the industry lauding the support the government has provided to them and the security that this will bring to them and their families; JobSeeker and the coronavirus supplement; and $750 payments in April and July to millions of Australians, including pensioners.

In particular, I am very proud of the quick response in providing access to health services, particularly in mental health investment and telehealth. In a community with high representation of the elderly, the vulnerable and those with chronic disease, there was always a concern that, beyond being susceptible to COVID-19, the general health of many in northern Tasmania would suffer as people stayed away from seeing their general practitioner or specialist. This is where the $600 million telehealth package—years of work put together in just a matter of days—has had a significant impact. Again, in our northern Tasmanian community, I have heard much positive feedback on the impact that this has had on the ground.

The impact of COVID-19 on the mental health of those in the northern Tasmanian community has also been of much concern to me. Once again, that challenge was met by our government under the steady hand of Minister Hunt. Hundreds of millions of dollars has been invested into additional mental health services across the country, including providing additional support services for Lifeline and Kids Helpline and creating a dedicated coronavirus helpline with Beyond Blue—all of which have seen a marked increase in demand for their services over the past six months.

While we're all keen to get back to life as normal, we know this will likely not be the case until a vaccine is available. I commend our government for their commitment to providing a free vaccine to all Australians should trials prove successful, safe and effective. The letter of intent with AstraZeneca is the first step towards making this a reality. Whilst there is no guarantee it will be successful, it does provide hope, and the government will continue to take advice from the best medical, scientific and manufacturing experts.

I know and have seen the real impact of the government's health and economic response to the crisis. I would like to take this time to again thank the healthcare workers in my community for turning up day in and day out under immense pressure to keep our community safe. To my constituents in Bass, I say: thank you for the sacrifices you have made over the past few months. Much has been asked of you, but our government does have your back and will continue to stand up and support you.

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