Rachel Siewert (WA, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

[by video link] My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Health and Aged Care, Senator Colbeck. Minister, the Prime Minister's press conference on the modelling by the Doherty institute left a lot of unanswered questions, showing only a set of slides. Will the government release the modelling by the Doherty institute in its entirety, including any technical papers and reports? If not, why not?

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

[by video link] My understanding is—and I don't have a brief on this with me, unfortunately—that it is our intention to release the modelling from the Doherty institute. I can't give any further advice with respect to the technical papers, but my understanding is that it is the government's intention to release the modelling from the Doherty institute so that Australians can understand the rationale behind the decisions that have been made as a part of the plan to reopen the economy.

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

Senator Siewert, a supplementary question?

Rachel Siewert (WA, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

[by video link] Could the minister take that on notice and confirm whether the technical reports will also be released? The government is aiming for 70 per cent of the adult population to be vaccinated for phase B, which actually equates to 56 per cent of the entire population. The Grattan Institute predicts that if we start lifting restrictions at around that range there could be close to a million cases of COVID. Have you looked at the Grattan Institute 's modelling, and are you concerned? (Time expired)

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

[by video link] I'm happy to take on notice the part of the question that I wasn't able to answer for Senator Siewert previously, with respect to supplementary work.

The government has made its decisions based on the modelling from the Doherty institute. That modelling is based on those people who are currently part of the recognised vaccine rollout. I haven't seen the paper that was done by the Grattan Institute, but the government, through national cabinet, commissioned the Doherty institute to do the research that was required to provide the benchmarks for opening the economy. I've indicated that it's the government's intention to release that information, and that information is based on the current parameters of the vaccine rollout. (Time expired)

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

Senator Siewert, a final supplementary question?

Rachel Siewert (WA, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

[by video link] The TGA approved the use of Pfizer in children aged 12 and over. Children are an essential part of any vaccine strategy. Why didn't you include children over 12 years of age in your vaccination targets, and are you going to?

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

[by video link] That information, from my understanding, will be included in the data from the Doherty institute that is being released publicly so that Australians can understand what the basis is for the targets that have been set, bearing in mind that it is only in recent times that there has there been an approved vaccine in Australia for children between the ages of 12 and 16. The Pfizer vaccine is now approved for children, and my understanding is that the data being submitted to the Australian government for the Moderna vaccine is likewise seeking approval for those over the age of 12. All that information will be available once the Doherty information is released, and I understand it's being released very soon.