Scott Morrison (Cook, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Hansard source

[by video link] I'll ask the Minister for Industry, Science and Technology to add to this answer. This time last year, the prospect of there even being an mRNA vaccine was very remote, and, in the course of a very short period of time, the world has responded technologically through medical science to the COVID-19 pandemic in a way that has been absolutely unprecedented. The IP around the production of mRNA vaccines, which were of themselves very remote prospects when it came to the production of vaccines, has proved to be enormously successful. The government is taking steps to establish mRNA vaccine production capabilities in Australia, like many countries will be seeking to do, but the ability to manufacture those vaccines currently is limited to only a few countries, and, as a result, we know that mRNA vaccines will be an important part of vaccines more broadly in the future. So it's not just about the pandemic; the capability we're seeking to establish will create a capability for Australia for the long term. I'll ask the minister to add further to the answer.

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