Perin Davey (NSW, National Party) Share this | Hansard source

Thank you, Senator McCarthy, for raising this very important issue and highlighting the vaccination rollout across the country. I acknowledge Senator McCarthy's concerns about the different vaccines that are available and the new health advice that we have relating to the AstraZeneca vaccine, but I also want to reassure the Australian people that this government is on the job. We are getting the vaccines out there. Vaccinations are predominantly very safe and we don't want to engage in this rhetoric that leads to and adds to vaccine hesitancy.

I want to thank the millions of Australians who have already put their arms out and received their vaccinations. I note that we are getting better at our vaccination rollout. Whereas in the early days of the rollout it took 45 days to reach the first million doses, it took only 10 days to get the latest million. We've got over six million doses out into people's arms across the country. We have more than 60 per cent of people aged over 70 vaccinated and protected. We have more than 40 per cent of people aged over 50 vaccinated and protected. And we have about one in four of the eligible population—that is, people aged over 16—with at least one dose of a vaccine.

We will see our first arrivals of the Moderna vaccine from September and October this year. And we are already getting more GPs the vaccines they need so they can give their patients, their clients, the vaccine and we can really ramp up the rollout to get more and more people vaccinated throughout the country.

We are expanding access to Pfizer across Australia, and that's why we are using the valuable GP workforce. This expansion was planned to coincide with our highest expected arrival of Pfizer doses so far, and, during July, we expect another 2.8 million doses to come.

We are continuing to work very closely with the states and territories and supporting their vaccination hubs, which are hugely successful—I note that NSW and Victoria are seeing record numbers of vaccinations going out the door. Our core infrastructure is now well established and well tested.

I also want to come to the point raised by Senator McCarthy about educating the community—across our multicultural community. Our government has provided $1.3 million to help peak multicultural organisations reach culturally and linguistically diverse communities, including First Nations communities. Our ethnic media include press, radio, social, and out-of-home campaigns to ensure that people in linguistically diverse communities understand the vaccination rollout, are aware of what their rights are and are aware of the importance of getting vaccinations. Campaign assets have been translated into 32 languages, while other materials are in over 60 languages across Australia. We are very aware that, in our multicultural society, it is very important that we don't limit ourselves to a homogenous education and communications campaign.

Our research also shows that people want the facts. That is why, when people go to Australia's COVID vaccination rollout website, they will be able to find out whether they're eligible, where they can go to book a vaccination and how to book a vaccination. They can also access advice from trusted people such as the head of the Therapeutic Goods Administration, John Skerritt, former deputy chief medical officer Nick Coatsworth and our chief nurse, among other experts. This campaign is working. Our record vaccination day saw over 120,000 vaccinations in one day. I encourage anyone listening to go to Australia.gov.au to find those facts, to check if they're eligible, to find their local clinic and to book now—to put their arm out, get their vaccination and join the one in four people in Australia who have already got a vaccine dose.