Marise Payne (NSW, Liberal Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Paterson for his supplementary question. The crucial word in our cooperation on the pandemic is 'partnership'—based on the needs and priorities of our partners. Our vaccine partnerships in the Indo-Pacific are not just about the sharing of vaccine doses; they're also about training for health workers, cold-chain equipment provision, public information campaign support, and technical advice, so that vaccines reach the arms of the people who need them the most.

It was thanks to our strong relationships with Poland, the United Kingdom, Singapore and the European Union that the government was able to secure 6½ million vaccine doses to also strengthen our domestic rollout. We're partnering with our neighbours' health systems as well, through Australian medical assistance teams and the supply of equipment such as oxygen concentrators, logistics, and testing and surveillance. Through groups such as the Quad, ASEAN and the Pacific Islands Forum, we're aligning our responses and coordinating with multilateral initiatives, such as the Covax Facility, in vaccine delivery. (Time expired)