James Stevens (Sturt, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

At some point in the last few hours in my home state of South Australia we will have reached the 80 per cent mark for first doses of COVID vaccination for those in the 16 years and over category. It's an exciting milestone for my home state, and, of course, it means we're on track to having 80 per cent fully vaccinated at some point in the weeks ahead.

The Premier of South Australia is about to announce—and, in fact, is probably announcing right now—the roadmap for my home state of South Australia to open our borders and to manage the inevitability of COVID entering our community. It was vital that we first gave every South Australian the opportunity to be vaccinated, and we're very much near that point. It's equally important that we reopen our economy, letting us rejoin all the other states in this nation and letting people spend Christmas together with their loved ones where they do have family interstate in those states that have been affected.

Of course I have been very committed to encouraging all those in my community to get vaccinated ever since this program commenced. I'm proud that some of the highest rates of vaccination in South Australia are in the local government areas in my electorate of Sturt. But, most importantly, I'm proud of all South Australians who have rolled up their sleeves. We're very close to getting to that double-80 rate. I hope we exceed it immensely, and I thank all those South Australians who have done the right thing and rolled up their sleeves.