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

As always in Australia, a range of academics, think tanks and other institutions undertake modelling on all types of different scenarios. Indeed, that may include some of those that you have raised. It is our government's desire to see Australia get to the point where extensive, widespread, prolonged lockdowns and restrictions can be minimised, brought to an end and become a thing of the past. That is why we have asked for the Doherty institute modelling to help guide us—and the states and territories who have those constitutional powers in relation to the application of medical orders in their jurisdictions. That modelling has drawn on scientific knowledge and the evidence those researchers have used from the outbreaks in Australia and elsewhere around the world. It is accompanied by Treasury modelling. The Treasury modelling includes consideration of the costs of different scenarios and, as I indicated to Senator Canavan, the behavioural change we see from people where widespread outbreaks occur, even if you don't have restrictions in place, which also result in significant costs. So I draw Senator Roberts's attention to those elements of the Treasury modelling as an accompanying element to the Doherty modelling.