Louise Pratt (WA, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Manufacturing) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question this afternoon is to the Minister representing the Minister for Health and Aged Care, Senator Colbeck. After four months, why is it that less than 15 per cent of Australia's 366,000 aged-care workers have been fully vaccinated?

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

As I've indicated to the chamber a number of times today, on a number of occasions we've had to reset the vaccination rollout to the aged-care workforce. In fact, the vaccination of the aged-care workforce was a specific topic of discussion at national cabinet only a couple of weeks ago. All the states and territories and the Commonwealth are taking the matter of vaccination of the workforce extremely seriously.

As I've indicated to the chamber already today, on a couple of occasions we've had to reset the vaccination process for the residential aged-care workforce because of health advice we've received with respect to, firstly, vaccinating the workforce and the residents at the same time, and, also, the utilisation of the AstraZeneca vaccine for those 50 and over and a preference for the Pfizer vaccine for those under 50. What is in place right now to support the workforce is: access to their GP; state Pfizer clinics; GP respiratory clinics; an in-reach program that is out for open tender for aged-care providers to vaccinate their own workforces, in conjunction with other health professionals; and, of course, we continue to offer the aged-care workforce in residential aged care access to the Pfizer vaccine while we're doing the second round of vaccinations and completing that process. So we continue to provide a number of opportunities for the aged-care workforce to access a vaccine, and it remains a topic of discussion at the highest levels, including national cabinet.

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Pratt, a supplementary question?

Louise Pratt (WA, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Manufacturing) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

By what date will all aged-care workers who want to be vaccinated be fully vaccinated?

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

Every aged-care worker who wants access to a vaccine right now has access to a vaccine right now. They have a number of channels to access that vaccine. They've been given priority access to that vaccine by the states and territories. We continue to work with the states and territories and with the aged-care providers on providing a number of channels for the aged-care workforce to access a vaccine.

As you will all be aware, the topic of whether or not the aged-care workforce should be compulsorily vaccinated was discussed at national cabinet just a couple of weeks ago. The fact it was discussed at that level is an indication of how seriously both the state and territory governments and the Commonwealth government agree that this issue is to be managed. We continue to offer a number of opportunities for the aged-care workforce to access a vaccine, to make it as easy as possible for them to do so. We continue to work with the states and territories to achieve that goal.

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Pratt, a final supplementary question?

Louise Pratt (WA, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Manufacturing) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The government has broken its promise that all Australians would be fully vaccinated by October, that four million Australians would be vaccinated by the end of March, that all of 1a would be vaccinated by Easter and that six million Australians would be vaccinated by 10 May. Isn't the Morrison government refusing to take responsibility for vaccinating aged-care workers because it would rather not have a target than miss yet another one?

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

I thank the senator for the question. We continue to build and grow the rollout of the vaccine. The fact that we have now had over five million Australians receive their first dose of a vaccine is a significant achievement, and we're very close to achieving six million doses of vaccine administered.

We continue to build the vaccine rollout as we increase the capacity of supply. That's always been the case. We have been basing the rollout on the supply of vaccine into the country and our distribution to the states and territories and the GPs, who have done a fantastic job in administering over 50 per cent of the vaccines that have been supplied, and the vaccination process continues to develop. We will continue to work with the states and territories and all outlets to ensure Australians have access to a vaccine.