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

As I've already foreshadowed, 12- to 15-year-olds in Australia will be vaccinated. The plan for the vaccination of 12- to 15-year-olds will be addressed by the national security committee on COVID this afternoon. At that meeting, we expect to receive the final advice from ATAGI that is necessary to enable that process to commence. General Frewen has been preparing that plan in anticipation of that, and we'll make further announcements after that process has been completed. The national cabinet will be meeting tomorrow. I'll have the opportunity to inform them of those arrangements, and they will, of course, have an important involvement in that process in relation to 12- to 15-year-olds.

The Doherty institute, which has provided the scientific modelling that has formed the basis of the national plan, has made it very clear that they have not considered it necessary to include 12- to 15-year-olds in the overall vaccination targets, but that does not mean that they shouldn't be vaccinated. Of course they should be vaccinated, and the government will ensure that they are vaccinated. That is very important. I have two daughters aged 12 and 14, and I think it's very important that they become vaccinated, and they will be. There are 1.2 million children in the cohort of 12- to 15-year-olds who will need to be vaccinated, and, as I have already mentioned today in question time, 1.9 million vaccine doses were administered in just one week, so it is entirely possible.

Ms Catherine King interjecting—

I note the interjection from the member for Ballarat. The answer to her question is contained in the advice provided to the government by the Doherty institute. If she wants to take issue with that advice, then she can. But we are going to continue to act consistent with that advice because we believe that that advice has been incredibly helpful in framing the national plan. I want to make it very clear to the parents of Australia that the government will be ensuring that we vaccinate children aged 12 to 15, consistent with the very clear medical advice that we will be receiving, and we'll be doing that as an important priority, together with the vaccination of the broader population. The minister for health may wish to add to the answer in the very little time remaining.

Ms Catherine King interjecting—

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