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

My question is to the Prime Minister. Eight days into the Sydney outbreak the Prime Minister congratulated the New South Wales Premier for not locking down. Two months later, the whole of New South Wales is in extended lockdown, with a record 919 new cases today, and the outbreak has spread to Victoria, the ACT and even New Zealand. New South Wales hospitals are at breaking point. Will the Prime Minister accept that his complacency contributed to the current circumstances?

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

On 23 August the Leader of the Opposition was opposing the national plan and he pretends today he was supporting it.

Opposition Members:

Opposition members interjecting—

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

I just say to the Prime Minister that the question wasn't about the national plan. The Prime Minister has the call and needs to be relevant—

Ms Collins interjecting—

Mr Burke interjecting—

The Manager of Opposition Business will cease interjecting, as will the member for Franklin. The Prime Minister needs to be relevant to the question.

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

The situation in New South Wales is of course intensely serious. It is incredibly serious. That situation is a function of one thing—

Stephen Jones (Whitlam, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Assistant Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

You!

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

The member for Whitlam!

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

It is a function of the delta variant of the COVID-19 virus. Those opposite might like to think that Australia is somehow immune to a global pandemic. Perhaps they think that the fault of there being a lockdown in New Zealand is the fault of the New Zealand Prime Minister or that the outbreaks in the United Kingdom, in the Netherlands or in other parts of the world are the function of those leaders. But what sensible people understand is that what we are going through is a global pandemic. In this country, the actions of the government, together with governments around the country, have saved 30,000 lives, and a million people are back in work. What I note this year, because I remember last year very vividly when Melbourne was going through the lockdown—

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. It was a specific question about whether the Prime Minister accepted any responsibility—

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

No. The point of order is on relevance, I presume?

Mr Dutton interjecting—

Mr Albanese interjecting—

The Leader of the House will resume his seat. The Leader of the Opposition and the Leader of the House will cease their conversation. The point of order is on relevance, I take it?

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

It is on relevance, Mr Speaker. The question went to whether there was any responsibility for the fact that the Prime Minister encouraged and congratulated the New South Wales Premier for not taking action against the pandemic.

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

I would just say to the Leader of the Opposition that he doesn't need to restate the question.

An opposition member interjecting—

No, he doesn't need to restate it. That's the last thing he needs to do. When the Leader of the Opposition says it was a very specific question, it was a very specific question at the end of a very long preamble. That doesn't open the question up entirely, but I'm listening to the Prime Minister to ensure he is being relevant to the question. The Prime Minister has the call.

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

All premiers, all chief ministers, the Prime Minister, the Deputy Prime Minister and others have had to make many decisions over the course of this pandemic, and collectively those decisions have saved 30,000 lives in this country—something envied by countries all around the world—and we have an economy that remains incredibly resilient and a million people coming back into work after the COVID-19 recession last year. Those are the decisions that governments have been taking and they are the results that are being achieved.

The delta variant, as we know, completely changed everything in terms of our COVID response, and the New South Wales government made decisions, and they have been making decisions over the course of this pandemic. On previous occasions they have made decisions where they haven't locked down, which enabled children to still go to school and enabled businesses to remain open and avoid the great hardship of the lockdowns which cause terrible ruin on people. These lockdowns are hard to endure. They are necessary at this time, but only as long as they need to be.

The New South Wales government have sought to avoid those lockdowns over the course of this pandemic. Those opposite may want to charge in and attack the New South Wales government for their efforts. They may seek to do that. I am not going to do that. What I know is that last year over 800 lives were lost in Victoria. This year, in New South Wales, 76 have been lost. We're making great progress in fighting this pandemic, and I thank all the premiers for their efforts. (Time expired)