Julian Simmonds (Ryan, Liberal National Party) Share this | Hansard source

Again and again, they ignore the facts. Cheap politics, alright; if Labor want to play those games then so be it. We don't want to see that happen, but we can't control their actions. Their actions, in this instance, have real consequences. Don't they understand that, when the member for Dunkley stands up and for cheap political gains tries to bash the vaccine rollout and claims it isn't working, that stops Australians who are watching her on TV from picking up the phone and making the booking they need with their GP or vaccine clinic? They think, 'Labor says it's not working, it's not worth it.' We have to be bipartisan in showing the Australian people that it is important to pick up the phone, make that booking with your GP. If you're listening right now, don't listen to the cheap politics of Labor talking down the vaccine. It is vital to get the vaccine. If you are in an age group that makes you eligible to get the vaccine, go and make that booking.

We had shadow ministers go even further in question time today, when they stood up and somehow insinuated, again, for cheap political points, that it isn't worth getting your first dose of the vaccine. That has a real impact. Labor MPs are playing cheap political games, but they have a real impact. No Australian should be under the misapprehension that it isn't important to get the first dose of the vaccine. Go and get it. It is so important, it is part of our path out of the COVID pandemic. Do not listen to the game-playing and cheap politics of Labor MPs. What we want to see, and what Australians really want to see, is the whole parliament behind them in this effort, rolling out everything that we can, as this government has shown over the last year and a bit, to support them in their efforts to defeat the COVID virus. They want to see Labor MPs supporting that. They're disappointed that they don't. But that's okay, we will continue to have the backs of all Australians. In the words of the Leader of the Opposition, he's more interested in fighting Tories than he is in fighting the virus. We have no interest in those kinds of ridiculous games in the middle of a global pandemic that's killing thousands of people across the globe every day.

Our interest is in everyday Australians, helping support them and their families to get through times like we'll see in Victoria over the next seven days, ensuring that they have the confidence to get out there and be vaccinated. They should have that confidence because this government is rolling out vaccines at a record rate. Over 12,000 people in Victoria alone got vaccinated yesterday. We delivered over 3.9 million doses, including over 111,000 in the last 24 hours. We have the backs of all Australians and, in particular, the backs of all Victorians. We announced today that we're releasing an additional 130,000 vaccines to support Victorians to accelerate vaccination in that state. That is real action, as opposed to the cheap politicking that we saw from Labor during question time today. They also undermine the confidence of Australians in the national quarantine program, a quarantine program that is over 99 per cent effective, arguably the best in the world in terms of its effectiveness. It is keeping Australians safe, the vaccines are keeping Australians safe. Both are being delivered by this government. It is this government that has got the backs of everyday Australians to get them through the COVID pandemic, rather than the cheap politics of Labor. (Time expired)

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