Josh Burns (Macnamara, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

And I will read out a quote from Dr Norman Swan—

Mr Hunt interjecting—

I can hear the interjections from the minister for health, but I'm going to read out a transcript from the ABC. The minister for health says Norman Swan's wrong. What happened with Pfizer last June is that they wanted to make Australia an example to the world about how to roll out—a bit like Israel or other places—and they said: 'How much do you want? And when do you want it?' And on 10 July there was a meeting, and what I'm told happened at that meeting was that there was an inexperienced person there with procurement. They were pretty rude at that meeting, and they said: 'Well, you're going to have to give us all your IP,' which is an amazing thing to have said, and started nickel-and-diming on the cost, and essentially the conversation stopped. And reports also are that Moderna did the same thing. Make no mistake: Pfizer and Moderna offered Australia as many vaccines as we needed, and this federal government, hiding behind whatever advice they choose, at that time decided to say no. Pfizer and Moderna offered as many vaccines as we needed, and we as a country said no.

Mr Hunt interjecting—

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