Christian Porter (Pearce, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I thank the member for his question. It was I think 30 years ago that the cutting-edge researchers at the University of Wisconsin first experimented on mRNA technology in mice, and it took 30 years for the first mRNA technology and vaccines to be put in the arms of human beings in the context of COVID-19. The single first vaccine that have been used on human beings and that used mRNA technology was used in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic—very, very recently. This is absolutely cutting-edge technology.

The proposition contained in the question from the Leader of the Opposition—that somehow it would be reasonable to put to the Australian people that it would be possible that right now Australia would be manufacturing mRNA vaccines—is just not a reasonable proposition. The idea that—

See this speech in context