Mark Butler (Hindmarsh, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Manager of Opposition Business in the House of Representatives) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister's long-awaited announcement to launch the booking system for COVID vaccinations was executed with precision in every newspaper and media outlet this morning, but there are already widespread reports of the system failing. If the government can get the media strategy right, why can't it get the vaccine delivery right?

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

I will ask the Minister for Health to make further comments. As I said in this place yesterday, the characterisation of that question in that way has only one purpose and that is to seek to undermine the vaccination program in this country. The issues put forward by the shadow minister are false. They're disingenuous and they seek to undermine one of the most important vaccination programs ever undertaken for the good health and the recovery of this country. I would urge the opposition to engage in this national project of such great importance to this country rather than continuing to stoop into the partisanship of playing politics with the COVID pandemic. I will ask the Minister for Health to add to my answer.

Greg Hunt (Flinders, Liberal Party, Minister for Health and Aged Care) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

To add to the Prime Minister's answer, the correct position is that there are now over 203,000 vaccinations that have been administered. That was more than a 10 per cent increase in national vaccinations alone only yesterday. There are now 509 aged-care facilities, and I have reported 45½ thousand aged-care vaccinations which have been implemented. In particular the vaccination program began, as we said it would, in late February, on 22 February, for phase 1a. The AstraZeneca program began, as we said it would, in early March. Next week—again, as we said it would—the expansion to phase 1b will commence on 22 March, four weeks after phase 1a commenced.

We'll be able to do that because we have the sovereign vaccine manufacturing capability in Australia. In particular, 1,169 general practices have been announced today, with more to come on board over the coming days. They will commence at different times during the course of next week. All are available to commence next week. All have applied, been accepted and have placed orders. Very importantly, there are six million Australians who will be in phase 1b. Not all will be done in week 1 or week 2, but over the course of the coming months. That's a very important thing to understand—to make sure that we have a vaccine rollout which uses the general practice network. Over 1,000 general practices will grow over the coming weeks to over 4,000 general practices. What does that mean? It means every Australian who seeks to be vaccinated will be vaccinated.