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

My question is to the Prime Minister. Why did the Prime Minister just before question time claim to the Australian people that No Jab, No Pay was not an incentive scheme to improve child immunisation rates? Can the Prime Minister confirm that when he personally introduced the legislation he said the following in the second sentence of his second reading speech:

This is an important initiative aimed at boosting childhood immunisation rates.

Given the legal consequences of a second reading speech, was he wrong then or today?

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

I acknowledge the point that the Leader of the Opposition has made. If he was listening to my comments earlier today rather than selectively hearing, what he would have understood is I was saying there was no comparison between child immunisation rates in the country—

Opposition Members:

Opposition members interjecting—

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

There is no comparison between the child immunisation challenge that we were facing at that time, which was not want of child immunisation rates being low. It was not at want of that. What we are dealing with now with the COVID-19 pandemic is a once-in-a-century pandemic, where we are seeking to vaccinate the entire population. The point I was making is that to draw a comparison between that and what was occurring at that time is not a proper comparison. So the Leader of the Opposition might be desperately trying to put some clothes on his ill-thought-through proposal. He might be desperately trying to do that, but people see through him.

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

The Prime Minister wasn't asked about alternatives. The Leader of the Opposition is seeking the call?

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

Yes, I seek leave to table a transcript of the Prime Minister's press conference earlier on today where he said, 'It wasn't done necessarily as an incentive—

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

No, the Leader of the Opposition won't read from the transcript. He's seeking leave.

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

I was trying to help him.

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

Well, you're not helping me. The Leader of the House?

Christian Porter (Pearce, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Leave is not granted.