Chris Bowen (McMahon, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Health) Share this | Hansard source

I seek leave to move the following motion:

That the House:

(1) notes:

(a) two weeks ago today, the Prime Minister and Minister for Health claimed to have signed a COVID-19 vaccine supply deal with AstraZeneca;

(b) when the Minister for Health quoted AstraZeneca in the House on 1 September 2020, he omitted the company’s clarification that it had only signed a "letter of intent", and that "there are still many details to be confirmed"; and

(c) in contrast to Australia's one letter of intent, at least 17 countries have signed at least 49 supply agreements, covering at least six billion doses of potential COVID-19 vaccines; and

(2) therefore, calls on the Minister for Health to lay on the table by no later than 9.30 am on Thursday, 3 September 2020, the so-called 'deal' with AstraZeneca referred to by the Minister for Health, and to explain to the House whether a single dose of any potential COVID-19 vaccine has been secured for Australia.

Leave not granted.

I move:

That so much of the standing orders be suspended as would prevent the Member for McMahon from moving the following motion immediately:

That the House:

(1) notes:

(a) two weeks ago today, the Prime Minister and Minister for Health claimed to have signed a COVID-19 vaccine supply deal with AstraZeneca;

(b) when the Minister for Health quoted AstraZeneca in the House on 1 September 2020, he omitted the company’s clarification that it had only signed a "letter of intent", and that "there are still many details to be confirmed"; and

(c) in contrast to Australia's one letter of intent, at least 17 countries have signed at least 49 supply agreements, covering at least six billion doses of potential COVID-19 vaccines; and

(2) therefore, calls on the Minister for Health to lay on the table by no later than 9.30 am on Thursday, 3 September 2020, the so-called 'deal' with AstraZeneca referred to by the Minister for Health, and to explain to the House whether a single dose of any potential COVID-19 vaccine has been secured for Australia.

If there is a deal, the government should welcome this debate. They should embrace this motion. They should love this motion.

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