Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the current Deputy Prime Minister. I ask: why has the government rolled the Deputy Prime Minister instead of rolling out the vaccine?

Michael McCormack (Riverina, National Party, Leader of the Nationals) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

We are rolling out the vaccine, and I'm very pleased that we are, indeed, rolling out the vaccine. Only this morning Saul Resnick from DHL again notified me of the role and responsibility that his transport company is playing in the rollout of the vaccines to, particularly, regional and remote communities.

I'm so very proud of what the Royal Flying Doctors Service is doing to make sure that those remote communities—and there are 30,000 people in 80 remote communities who are relying on the RFDS. What an amazing organisation. I commend the former member for Maranoa for the ongoing service that he has provided to the RFDS. What an amazing organisation; it's the Flynn of the outback, making sure the angels of mercy get to those remote communities and get the vaccinations to those people, who expect nothing less. They deserve the very best and they are getting it through the healthcare options and provisions that we are providing.

I commend the minister for regional health for the work that he has done to make sure that those regional communities are well served, whether it's through the Murray-Darling Medical Schools Network; whether it's through the RFDS; whether it's through DHL transporting the vaccinations, the Pfizer in particular and AstraZeneca as well, to those rural and regional and remote communities. We are getting on with the job of getting out the vaccinations to aged-care facilities, to people who I absolutely urge and encourage, again, to get that jab. It's so very important.

I had my AstraZeneca jab the other day. My wife Catherine did too. It's very important, and I appreciate that ATAGI have made it so that AstraZeneca is for the over 60s; I appreciate they've tweaked what they said originally, but we've taken the best possible medical advice all the way through. That's what we've done, that's what Australians would expect us to do and that's why we've been able to keep Australians safe. There is no better country in all of the world in which to live than Australia. Certainly, we have kept our communities very, very much COVID safe.

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

The Deputy Prime Minister can resume his seat. The Leader of the Opposition is rising on a point of order, I presume.

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Yes. It goes to relevance. It's about rolling out the vaccine. Here are some numbers: three per cent—

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

No, the Leader of the Opposition will resume his seat. That is a frivolous point of order. This is not an opportunity to debate the matter. As the Leader of the Opposition well knows, it's an opportunity to raise a point of order on relevance.

Mr Albanese interjecting—

No, the Leader of the Opposition will not keep interjecting to try and debate the matter. I'm making myself very clear: I do extend a lot of tolerance, but I can rule on points of order of relevance without even hearing members if I judge the answer to be completely relevant. In that regard, I'm happy to follow the precedent set by Harry Jenkins. The Deputy Prime Minister has the call.

Michael McCormack (Riverina, National Party, Leader of the Nationals) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

All the way through we've taken the best possible medical advice. Whether it was Professors Brendan Murphy or Paul Kelly or the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee or ATAGI, we've made sure we've taken the best possible medical advice and we've made sure that we get the vaccinations out. Six and a half million Australians have already received the vaccination. I urge and encourage Australians to get that jab and to get that second jab, but I do thank Australians, on behalf of a grateful nation, for doing what they've done to keep this nation, this country best in the world and largely COVID free and COVID safe. (Time expired)