Kate Thwaites (Jagajaga, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

[by video link] My question is to the Prime Minister. At an aged-care facility in my electorate, staff were notified they would be given vaccinations this week by a government contractor, but, just minutes after this notification, the vaccinations were cancelled and the facility was advised it was not considered to be a sufficient risk. When aged-care workers haven't been vaccinated, why does the Prime Minister still say it's not a race?

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

To the member for Jagajaga: I'd be pleased to receive the details of which particular facility. There was a case yesterday where the member for Isaacs raised a facility and it did turn out not to be a Commonwealth facility. However, we would be very much keen to receive the details, to understand the circumstances and to ensure that the details are available.

I will say, in relation to in-reach for aged-care workers, that, at this point in time, over 40,000 workers—17.3 per cent of Commonwealth aged-care workers—have received doses on a first basis, and, of those, 34,390 have received second doses. So there is a significant program. There are four additional channels that are available for those workers. The first, of course, is in relation to the general practice in-reach program. The second is in relation to the ability to be vaccinated at general practices. The third is in relation to the ability to be vaccinated at Commonwealth GP respiratory clinics or Commonwealth clinics. The fourth is in relation to state and territory Pfizer clinics, and that was a decision of the national cabinet, I believe, Prime Minister, on 22 April, which has been adopted by the majority of states and territories, and one has added to that in the last 24 hours, we understand. Then, finally, of course, there is the in-reach program itself, which has seen well over 70,000 vaccinations.

So, if the details could be provided, we'd be happy to follow up and respond.