Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I asked you whether this is the first time that you have been advised this.

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

I'm saying that we received this advice today, Senator:

For those aged 60 years and above, the individual benefits of receiving a COVID-19 vaccine are greater than in younger people.

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

Order, Senator Colbeck. I have Senator Wong on a point of order.

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the minister for reading out what is on the public record. The question we actually asked was whether or not this was the first time the government had been advised in any form that the AstraZeneca vaccine was not the preferred COVID-19 vaccine for those Australians under the age of 60.

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

Senator Wong, I've allowed you to restate and reemphasise the question. While the minister is specifically talking about such advice—and he did talk about the day on which it was received—to instruct him any more strictly would go to how to answer a question, which I cannot do. If the minister is sticking to the advice and the timing of it, then I believe that is directly relevant.

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

My understanding, my advice, is that this advice was received and decided at a meeting of ATAGI this morning. So we received this advice today. We have at all times, through the duration of this pandemic, followed the health advice and we've taken action once we have received that advice. This correspondence came to the health minister from ATAGI today. As I understand it, very soon after that advice being received, the minister made his public statements with respect to that advice.

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

Senator Wong, a supplementary question.

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Will the minister guarantee that the Australian government will have sufficient supplies of other vaccines to ensure all Australians who want a vaccine will be able to get a vaccine by the end of this year?

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

I thank Senator Wong for the question. Minister Hunt has confirmed this afternoon at his press conference, and I'm happy to confirm, that our objective remains to make it available to every Australian—

Opposition Senators:

Opposition senators interjecting—

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

That every Australian who wants access to a vaccine will have access to that vaccine by the end of this year. That's been our statement all along. That was confirmed by Minister Hunt this morning and was also confirmed by Lieutenant General Frewen, who is also assisting with the vaccine rollout. We have significant supplies of vaccine coming into this country, and the objective remains that every Australian who wants a vaccine will have access to one by the end of this year.

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

Senator Wong, a final supplementary question.

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I refer to reports that Pfizer approached the government 12 months ago, offering Australia the opportunity to be among the first nations in the world to have access to the Pfizer vaccine. Is that right? Why did the Morrison government fail to secure an early agreement for Pfizer vaccines when it had the chance?

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

The advice I have is that Pfizer has at all times met the agreed delivery arrangements that they have provided to us, and we consequently have real confidence in the projected deliveries they are proposing to provide us through to the end of the year. I don't have any further information with respect to the reports that Senator Wong refers to. I'm happy to take that on notice and come back to the chamber.