Terry Young (Longman, Liberal National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Home Affairs. Will the minister update the House on how the Morrison government is backing our economic recovery and creating a stronger Australia by taking action to keep our border secure and our community safe? Is the minister aware of any alternative approaches?

Karen Andrews (McPherson, Liberal Party, Minister for Home Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for his question. The security of our borders and the safety of our families and our businesses is absolutely critical to Australia's continued economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. It's very clear that our international border arrangements have played a major role in our success in managing and containing the virus. As the Prime Minister has said, international borders will only open when it is safe to do so. But we are focused on continuing the COVID suppression strategy with testing, with tracing, with restricted international travel, with quarantine arrangements and, of course, with the rollout of our vaccination program. Our vaccination program is, in fact, well underway, and those opposite would be much better served if they proactively got out there and encouraged Australians to take the opportunity to get vaccinated at the first possible opportunity. So perhaps those opposite may spend just a little bit of time pondering how they can actually assist in a vaccine rollout other than doing everything that they can to undermine what is in the best interests of this nation.

Opposition Members:

Opposition members interjecting—

Government Members:

Government members interjecting—

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The minister will pause. Members on both sides! The minister has the call.

Karen Andrews (McPherson, Liberal Party, Minister for Home Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Mr Speaker. Let me speak further about what we are doing to keep Australians safe and secure. In terms of our border reopening, we are absolutely committed that we will do that in a very controlled and a very safe way, because we understand how important it is that we manage the opening of our borders in a very safe and secure way. I am very happy to spend the last 50 seconds that I have here talking about the vaccination strategy, because it is so important for Australia.

Mr Dreyfus interjecting—

Ms Templeman interjecting—

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member Isaacs! The member for Macquarie! The minister has the call.

Karen Andrews (McPherson, Liberal Party, Minister for Home Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Yes, absolutely. I'm very happy now to pick up that point, Mr Speaker. We are doing all that we possibly can in conjunction with the states and territories to proactively get out there and encourage every single Australian to take the opportunity to be vaccinated at the earliest opportunity, and, as I said before, it would be a much better strategy for those opposite to assist in promoting the need to get vaccinated, because that is what will help Australia— (Time expired)