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

Firstly, I just associate the opposition with the comments of the minister with regard to the need to provide support for our veterans at what must be a very difficult time for them.

My question is to the Prime Minister. In April, Labor wrote to the Minister for Health and Aged Care, concerned about staff shortages at the Dubbo Aboriginal Medical Service and the vaccine rollout to local First Nations people. The health minister's office inexplicably replied that international medical graduates could be recruited, despite the international borders being closed. Given the significant outbreak amongst First Nations people around Dubbo right now, does the Prime Minister regret not doing more to protect this community?

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

This is and has been one of our priorities. The achievements in protecting Indigenous Australia through the course of the pandemic have been one of the signatures of the Australian result.

Mr Morrison interjecting—

As the Prime Minister says, acknowledged by Pat Turner and acknowledged by Indigenous communities. It's a considerable and ongoing task. In relation to the Western New South Wales outbreak, and in Dubbo in particular, we have established five ADF teams. Those ADF teams are being based in Dubbo and over the coming days the teams will rotate between Bourke and Warren, Dubbo West and Parkes, Dubbo West, Narromine and Parkes, Dubbo West and Parkes, Trangie, Grawin, Nyngan, Coolah, Mudgee, Forbes, Lightning Ridge and across the region. That ADF work is also supported by 50 ADF members who have moved to be Dubbo based and working out of western New South Wales to focus in particular on compliance and assistance within the region.

Further, an AUSMAT team has landed. That is the first of five teams. That AUSMAT team is ensuring that we have clinical governance, and they will vaccinate and they will work on testing. But, above all else, they are there to ensure that any support which is needed for any of the health services in the area is put in place. In addition to that, the Royal Flying Doctor Service is also providing assistance and vaccination across the area. Over the course of this week, their forward schedule includes Menindee, Hungerford, Yunta, Ivanhoe, Louth, Wanaaring, Euston and Tibooburra. That's over the course of the coming week.

So we are seeing that there are resources in place and they are adding to that which is already there. We have the ADF, the Royal Flying Doctor Service and AUSMAT, and all of that supports the existing clinics that are on the ground. There are 118 Commonwealth clinics in western New South Wales. That includes nine Commonwealth vaccination clinics and nine Aboriginal community controlled health services as well as 100 pharmacies and general practice clinics that are providing vaccination support on the ground. All of these things are coming together to save lives and to protect lives.

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

The Leader of the Opposition.

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

I seek leave to table the correspondence from Senator Deb O'Neill, the duty Labor senator for the area, asking that the minister fully staff the Dubbo Aboriginal Medical Service and the response saying: 'As such, practices can recruit doctors subject to location restrictions, such as international medical graduates and Australian bonded colleges.'

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

The Leader of the Opposition has had his question.

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

I am seeking leave to table the document.

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

That's right; you're seeking leave to table documents. You need to briefly describe what they are, not read them in their entirety into Hansardwhich begs the question why you then want them tabled. Leader of the House?

Peter Dutton (Dickson, Liberal Party, Minister for Defence) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Leave is not granted.