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

My question is to the Prime Minister. It's reported that a nurse who infected residents at an aged-care centre in Summer Hill in my electorate worked across multiple sites, leading to the hospitalisation of these residents and to lockdowns in aged-care centres across Sydney. Months after aged-care workers and residents were meant to be fully vaccinated and a year after this risk was identified, does the Prime Minister accept responsibility for this failure?

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

I will ask the Minister for Health to add further to the question. The government continues to roll out the national vaccination plan, and I am pleased that when this COVID pandemic outbreak hit New South Wales, in my home city as well as that of the Leader of the Opposition, right across New South Wales, right across Sydney, more than 80 per cent of those in aged-care facilities had double-dose vaccinations. The comparison between what happened this year in Sydney and Victoria last year could not be more stark. The priority of the government was to ensure that the residents of aged-care facilities—

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

The Prime Minister will resume his seat. The Leader of the Opposition on a point of order?

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

Yes, Mr Speaker, on relevance. The question is about aged-care workers working across multiple sites—something that was identified as a problem that occurred in aged care more than a year ago—

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

The Leader of the Opposition can resume his seat. Just before I call the Prime Minister, the question also, from my memory of it and my notes of it, did refer to residents—

Mr Albanese interjecting—

Hang on. It did refer to residents as well, so the Prime Minister has been able to refer to that, but the substance of the question was about workers—that's true—and the Prime Minister will need to bring himself to that matter. I think he's already indicated he might ask the Minister for Health.

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

Thank you, Mr Speaker. As of today, 56.1 per cent of aged-care workers have had their first dose of the vaccination. The declaration of a Commonwealth hotspot activates the supports that go to the state governments to ensure that they have the support and that the aged-care facilities have the support to prevent, wherever possible, those working across sites. They are the rules that have been put in place; they are the financial supports and other mechanisms that go in place when these Commonwealth hotspots are declared. But I make this very important point: the contrast between the outbreak that has occurred in Sydney this year and what occurred in Victoria last year, in terms of the rate of fatality that we saw in aged-care facilities, could not be more stark, and that is because the government ensured that we moved to put the vaccines into aged-care facilities and double-dosed those residents, with more than 80 per cent having double-dose vaccinations in those facilities. Last year, there was not a vaccination and we were able to constrain as much as possible in an unvaccinated population the impact of an extraordinary outbreak across Melbourne. In a way, it was far in advance of what we had seen in other countries that had been subject to those outbreaks when there were no vaccines. This year, with the vaccines in place, over 80 per cent of those in residential aged-care facilities are double-dose vaccinated and that has provided them with very important protection in the midst of this very significant outbreak. The Minister for Health may wish to add.

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

There are two different facilities. Firstly, in relation to the SummitCare facility, I understand that has now been taken off the list. It has a vaccination rate of approximately 96 per cent amongst residents. The five residents who were vaccinated, who have now largely cleared the virus, are expected to return. The one resident whose family had chosen not to vaccinate is also expected to clear the virus. In relation to the Summer Hill facility, I want to check the details with regard to the worker because I have different advice with regard to the worker. (Time expired)