Richard Colbeck (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Senior Australians and Aged Care Services) Share this | Hansard source

Thank you, Senator McDonald. We want to give confidence to the Australian people, and we're doing that by showing that these vaccines have been through a full and thorough assessment by our medical regulator, the TGA, and that they are safe. As the Prime Minister demonstrated by being vaccinated on Sunday, he is not asking anyone to do anything that he is not prepared to do himself. Today we saw the Leader of the Opposition vaccinated. He, too, is demonstrating his confidence in the vaccine. As more Australians receive it and, as we've seen around the world, it is shown to be safe and effective, that will also raise the confidence across the community and encourage more Australians to get vaccinated. Our key message is that it's safe, it's effective and it will help protect you but it will also help protect your loved ones.