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

No, I don't. I have to say it's really disappointing that Senator Siewert comes in here and uses parliamentary privilege, in a sense, to make those sorts of accusations. Quite frankly, it's outrageous that a member of the health profession in Western Australia would actually express those sorts of views himself. Purely and simply, it's a cheap opportunity to score some political points.

As I said yesterday, the Doherty modelling does contemplate the vaccination of children, albeit at a later date—

Senator Keneally interjecting—

in accordance, Senator Keneally, with the health advice. You can be as pious as you like about this, but we're operating in this country under health advice. Our vaccination program in this country has been based on the advice from and full approval of vaccines through the TGA, whereas in the US they only got full approval for their vaccinations this week. We made sure, in this country, that the Australian community had confidence in the vaccination rollout, and the vaccines that we were using, by undertaking a full vaccination program through the TGA and providing advice to the Australian community through ATAGI.

For the Greens to come in here with a quote from a GP or a specialist in Western Australia, in an attempt to make cheap political points, to undermine public confidence in the vaccination rollout, I think is an absolute disgrace.