Bridget Archer (Bass, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. Will the Prime Minister please update the House on the Morrison government's national plan to chart our way back from COVID-19 and build a stronger economy?

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

I thank the member for Bass for her question and her leadership in her community, particularly as all members in this place seek to support those all around Australia who are either directly or indirectly impacted—indeed, as they are in the member for Bass's electorate because of the lockdowns in both New South Wales and in Victoria and the impact that they are having in Tasmania.

The government has set out an agreed national plan to chart Australia's way out of this crisis and to ensure that we can live with the virus into the future. That plan has been set out, and it focuses our efforts as a country forward. Each day, we are taking a step further, closer to that goal. Each day, we are getting further along this journey. In fact, in the seven-day period up until yesterday, Sunday, 1.3 million doses were delivered—in a one week period. That is almost the population of the city of Adelaide in just one week. That is the rate of vaccination now being achieved in the national vaccination program. We've overcome the challenges that we had early in the program and are turning the corner, to ensure that Australians can move forward on the path ahead. The world is dealing with the third wave of the delta variant, and that has changed the way that we have to address that at all levels within this country. The success of regrettable but necessary measures that have been put in place by the states, with lockdowns where outbreaks occur, is vital to ensuring that we enter the next phase, at 70 per cent vaccinated, in the best possible shape, because the fewer cases we go into phase b with, the better off we all are.

Dr Freelander interjecting—

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

The member for Macarthur will leave, under standing order 94(a).

The member for Macarthur then left the chamber.

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

That's why those measures are so important, but they are assisted by the vaccine program, to ensure that New South Wales, in particular, can move through this current lockdown as quickly as it possibly can. But it must be effective, and that's why we have acted to ensure more vaccines, whether it be in New South Wales, in Victoria or in Queensland. We've been able to work with each of those state and territory governments to provide hundreds of thousands of brought-forward vaccines to support those states that have been dealing with those challenges.

But that's backed up by the economic supports. Through the COVID disaster assistance payment, almost $2 billion—indeed by now it would be above $2 billion—has been provided in direct economic supports to Australians who have lost hours in work because of these most recent lockdowns. That is to almost one million Australians directly impacted. That support has been directly provided. And we continue to work with the states and territories, who are delivering their business supports, and we are meeting those costs with them in those programs fifty-fifty, shoulder to shoulder with the state and territory governments. Seventy and 80 per cent targets for vaccination double dose in this country are achievable. We are taking big steps towards that each and every day, and I thank Australians. (Time expired)