Paul Scarr (Queensland, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

Senator Watt asked the question 'Why are so many people in this country in lockdown?' The reason is the delta variant of COVID-19. That's the reason they are in lockdown, not for any other reason. We're seeing all over the world the devastating impact of the delta variant. It's easy to stand on the sidelines and throw bricks at those on the field who are making difficult decisions, who are taking advice from the people they should be taking advice from, the independent experts—the scientific experts and others—and making calls on the run. It's easy to stand on the sideline and throw bricks at people who are making difficult decisions in difficult times. The fact of the matter is that when you look at the most recent results of the vaccine rollout you see they are quite staggering. They are quite incredible, actually, when you consider that the first one million doses were issued in 45 days and we've now reached a position where more than a million doses of a vaccine, whether it be Astra Zeneca or Pfizer, are being given every six days. It took 45 days for a million doses and now it's taking six days for a million doses. The rollout has progressively increased. It took 45 days for one million doses, 20 days for two million doses and 17 days for three million doses. You can see the increase in the doses which are being provided.

We are now, thankfully, in a situation where almost 80 per cent—probably now over 80 per cent—of over-70s are protected with a first dose of a vaccine. Over 80 per cent of the most vulnerable cohort in our community are protected with at least one dose of a vaccine, and 41.98 per cent have received a second dose. More than 65 per cent of my cohort, the over-50s, are protected with a first dose, and 26.67 per cent have received a second dose. We've seen a phenomenal increase in the rollout of this vaccine in the context of a global pandemic, a once-in-100-years global pandemic, with different variants of the virus developing over time and posing new challenges, and the delta variant has presented a number of unique challenges through the speed of its spread.

I say to those opposite: not only should you not be throwing bricks at our Prime Minister, you should not be throwing bricks at the Premier of New South Wales either. That Premier is on the field making decisions in real time, taking advice from everyone who she considers is appropriate to give her advice. Sometimes the result is not perfect. It wouldn't be perfect no matter who was in the position of Premier of New South Wales or Prime Minister of Australia. That's the factor of the actual situation which we're facing at the moment. It's a dynamic situation, a once-in-100-years situation, a global pandemic.

The best and most reasonable way of assessing the success or otherwise of the federal government is to compare the situation in Australia to that overseas. Who in this place can legitimately say, who can reasonably say that Australia hasn't done better than any other country in the world on the two key measurements of protecting lives and protecting livelihoods? We've done better than any other country on the face of the Earth, and if those opposite can think of somewhere else that has done better on protecting lives and protecting livelihoods, then tell us who it is, because I don't know who it is. This country has done an exceedingly good job, and I pay tribute to all of our decision-makers. I don't care which party they come from. These people are in the field making decisions in real time in a challenging situation, a one-in-100-year global pandemic with different variations of the virus developing all the time, and making the best decisions they can in good faith when they're confronted with those circumstances. I think Australians are getting more confident in the vaccine. I was so pleased today that the Chief Health Officer of Queensland has reflected on her opinion with respect to AstraZeneca, and hopefully we'll have more and more vaccines issued.