Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Public Service) Share this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Roberts for the question. I am aware of that court case which has been recently handed down in relation to vaccination for police and ambulance workers in Queensland. This is a decision of a Queensland court that relates to a vaccine mandate that was a decision of the Queensland government.

The government's position on COVID-19 vaccinations is that they are voluntary, as are all vaccinations in Australia, although we do encourage vaccination and aim to have as many people vaccinated as possible. I would say that there is no doubt of the success of the vaccination program in Australia, and the number of Australians who got vaccinated, particularly in those early waves, protected millions of vulnerable Australians, including Australians in aged care, Australians who had a disability and immunocompromised Australians, who were protected—