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

My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Health, Senator Colbeck. Why did Mr Morrison repeatedly tell Australians that getting vaccinated is 'not a race'?

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

[by video link] Giving the opportunity for all Australians to access a vaccination is extremely important. The Prime Minister has continuously reinforced that. We have, as we said we would, continued to accelerate the vaccine rollout as more vaccines become available, and we've continued to open up the number of access points for vaccines, in conjunction with the states, with the growth in vaccine supply. As of last week, we have vaccinated in excess of one million Australians. In fact, we have vaccinated more than one million Australians over the last two weeks—

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

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

The point of order is on direct relevance. I asked a very simple question of the Minister representing the Minister for Health as to why the Prime Minister repeatedly told Australians that getting vaccinated wasn't a race.

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

I'll let you remind the minister of the question. It was quite specific. As long as the minister is specifically talking about the vaccine rollout, I don't believe I can instruct him about how to answer the question. I'm listening carefully, and I've reminded the minister of that. Senator Colbeck.

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

As I said at the outset in my response to Senator Wong's question, the Prime Minister has repeatedly reinforced the importance of Australians getting vaccinated. That is at the heart of the four-point plan that the government has released, in conjunction with the states through national cabinet, to allow Australians to have more access to freedoms as we increase the vaccination rollout. The Prime Minister has always reinforced the importance of vaccination and will continue to do so.

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

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 raise the direct relevance point again. I anticipate what your ruling will be. I will ask you, perhaps, to go away and get advice from the Clerk as to whether simply mentioning 'vaccinated' means that your test of direct relevance—being 'any discussion of the vaccine rollout'—is met.

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

I will happily seek advice from the Clerk on the direct relevance test. I'd just remind senators and the minister that a narrow question requires a narrow answer, but I do not believe I can instruct him on the terms on which he answers. I'll come back to the chamber. Senator Colbeck.

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

The Prime Minister has at all times stressed the importance of vaccination. He continues to do so. It is extremely important that as many Australians as possible get vaccinated. The government has worked to continue to increase supply and the number of access points so as to allow Australians to get vaccinated, and we'll continue to do that. We've released the data to advise Australians on the availability of vaccines over the course of this year, and, of course, the four-point plan that was worked through in national cabinet is all about getting Australians vaccinated as soon as possible so that we can allow more freedoms to Australian people.

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

The Prime Minister has repeatedly said that the vaccine rollout is not a race, and his own backbench has admitted that 'he shouldn't have said that'. With millions of people in lockdown across Sydney and South-East Queensland as we speak and, tragically, 15 deaths from COVID-19 this year in Sydney, does the government regret Mr Morrison's repeated statements that the vaccine rollout is not a race?

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

[by video link] The Prime Minister can speak and has spoken for himself with respect to this matter. But, as I just said to the chamber, in relation to this question the Prime Minister has always reinforced the importance of vaccination. The government have continued to reinforce the importance of vaccination, and we will continue to do so. We know that getting a high proportion of Australians vaccinated is one of the paths out of this pandemic. If we look at the circumstances in international jurisdictions, we see that the pandemic is becoming one for those who are not vaccinated. Vaccination is clearly extremely important. The Prime Minister continues to reinforce the importance of vaccination and getting Australians vaccinated as soon as possible. The government will continue to work to ensure that that's possible.

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

With around 10 million people in lockdown across Sydney and South-East Queensland, can this minister explain why it has taken so long for Mr Morrison to go from, 'It's not a race,' to, 'We're making a gold-medal run'?

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

[by video link] I think Senator Wong misrepresents the words of the Prime Minister in his opinion piece earlier in the week. He was talking about the spirit of the Australian people working to get vaccinated and understanding what the targets are for Australians to be vaccinated so that they can enjoy more freedoms. We make no apology for that. It only reinforces the point that Australians need to get vaccinated.

We continue to increase the capacity of the vaccine rollout. As I said earlier, over a million people have been vaccinated in the last two weeks. The vaccination process is doing what we said it would do: it's continuing to increase in pace as we increase supply and capacity. We continue to increase the number of outlets that are available for Australians to access the vaccine. We paid particular attention to those areas of the country that are under stress, like New South Wales. We'll continue to do that to ensure that Australians can get vaccinated— (Time expired)