Ralph Babet (Victoria, United Australia Party) Share this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Treasurer, Minister Gallagher. Minister Gallagher, we meet again. Your October 2022 budget included a figure of $77 million that was in the Services Australia portfolio budget statement. This figure is the allowance for the COVID-19 Vaccine Claims Scheme payouts for 2022-23. At the time, this represented an 80-fold increase in allocation from the previous federal budget of just $937,000. My office is contacted every single day by people who, in good faith, trusted their government but are now paying for this decision with injury. They are suffering, and some in this place mock them to this day. Can you please update the Senate on the total amount that has been paid out by the COVID-19 Vaccine Claims Scheme this current financial year?