Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Finance) Share this | Hansard source

Budget Paper No. 1, page 36:

The key assumptions that underpin the economic forecasts are set out below. Outcomes could be substantially different to the forecasts, depending upon the extent to which these assumptions hold.

The first phase of Australia's vaccination program commenced in late 2021, as it says, with most priority populations having been vaccinated. It is assumed that a population-wide vaccination program is likely to be in place by the end of 2021. The assumptions go on in relation to the containment of localised outbreaks of COVID-19, in relation to the management of domestic activity restrictions, in relation to the operation of state boarder restrictions, in relevance to temporary or permanent migration movements, in relation to inbound and outbound travel restrictions. Of course there are many other assumptions that do inform the budget papers, as I was saying at the outset.

In relation to vaccine availability, it is no secret that the world has faced a shock in elements of the vaccine rollout, particularly in relation to the AstraZeneca vaccine, and in Australia the advice that we've received from health authorities is to limit its application to those over 50. That has obviously had a change in the rollout schedule and expectations. Nonetheless, our government has procured around 170 million doses of vaccines that can give Australians confidence that throughout the course of this year we will receive the vaccine doses that will enable Australians to have the choice to be vaccinated, and we will urge all Australians to follow the health advice and to be vaccinated in accordance with this advice.