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

[by video link] I thank Senator Hanson for her question. Can I, at the outset, emphasise that the government has said all along that vaccination is a voluntary program, that we are not mandating it—aside from certain very high-risk health areas where, while it is still not Commonwealth legislation doing so, we have worked with states and territories in mandating vaccination, such as in relation to health- or aged-care workers.

It is correct that Australia's workplace relations laws do allow for businesses to put in place arrangements that are reasonable in the circumstances for the protection of people that they work alongside of or, indeed, customers that they may work with. It is for businesses to make an assessment in relation to that reasonableness test, and some have chosen to do so in relation to the COVID-19 vaccine—as is their right under existing workplace arrangements.

We do encourage all Australians to get vaccinated. In doing so, I want to thank and acknowledge the millions of Australians who have done so to date, driving total vaccinations administered in Australia to in excess of 17.1 million doses. That has ensured that we now have nearly 53 per cent of all eligible Australians over the age of 16 having had a first dose. Indeed, of the first age cohort to be eligible for the vaccine, the over 70s, we have now seen more than 85 per cent of them have a first dose and more than 57 per cent of them are fully vaccinated. Of those over 50, more than 75 per cent of them have had the first dose. These are very encouraging numbers, and I continue to urge Australians to make a booking, to get out there, to do the thing that can best save them, their loved ones, their families and their work mates, and that is to get vaccinated.