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

[by video link] Senator Gallagher and members of the Labor Party have a very unfortunate habit of misrepresenting what people say in the chamber. In the future, with a full vaccination program and other measures to appropriately manage the COVID-19 pandemic, it may very well be that we get to the stage where we are able to live with COVID-19 in that way. But I don't believe that we should be verballed by misrepresentations from the Labor Party with respect to their questions in this place.

We have, all through this pandemic, worked to ensure the safety of Australians. We set in place a plan very early to support Australians. We closed the borders early. We set in place plans to protect Australians. We've put in place a vaccination program that continues to roll out and grow at pace. We will continue to do that, but we won't put up with negative misrepresentations and undermining of the protection of Australians by the Labor party. We will continue to work in the Australian community's interests. We know, because Mr Albanese said, that he's only interested in fighting the government. Well, we're fighting the virus. That's what we will continue to do. We will continue to work in support of the Australian people against the pandemic. The Labor Party can fight whoever they please, but our focus is the Australian people.