Anthony Chisholm (Queensland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Health, Senator Colbeck. Can the minister confirm the Morrison government's 70 per cent phase b target includes only Australians aged over 16 and, as a proportion of the population, is only 56 per cent?

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

[by video link] As I indicated to the chamber earlier, the advice on the targets is based on the modelling of the Doherty Institute. It's not a number that has been chosen by the Prime Minister or, for that matter, any of the state premiers and national cabinet. It's based on research by the Doherty Institute on the thresholds required to start reopening the Australian economy and community during the pandemic. The thresholds that have been put forward are based on the research. As I indicated to Senator Siewert earlier, that research is going to be released publicly so all Australians—

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

Senator Wong, a point of order?

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

Mr President, my point of order is on direct relevance. It was a very simple question. It's clear from the Doherty research released—and I assume this minister is aware of it—that the 70 per cent relates to the population over 16 and if they are included, in fact, the threshold is 56 per cent. We're asking the minister to confirm that.

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

Senator Colbeck, on this occasion the question was specific and factual in nature. To be directly relevant you must address the facts in question, so I remind you of the question. It was a specific question seeking a fact. You've had 50 seconds. I remind you of the question that was asked.

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

The thresholds are based on the Doherty Institute research that has been publicly released. The research is based on the vaccination profile of the population that was assessed by the Doherty Institute. I am happy to confirm the numbers that are in the Doherty Institute data.

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

Senator Wong, 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 repeat my previous point of order.

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

And I would have supported that point. The minister in the last sentence said he was confirming numbers contained in the modelling that was referred to in the question. I asked the minister to restrain his comments to the facts sought, but at that point in my view he was being directly relevant with that phrase he used.

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

The reason we're releasing the Doherty Institute data is so that all Australians understand completely the parameters for the opening of the community. That's why I'm very comfortable in confirming that information and that data presented by the Doherty Institute. It's important that all Australians understand that the decisions that the government is making in conjunction with the states to open the economy and to open the community are based on research, as has been accessed by the government. So I'm very comfortable in confirming the figures in the Doherty Institute data.

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

Order, Senator Colbeck. Senator Chisholm, a supplementary question?

Anthony Chisholm (Queensland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Ten of yesterday's 13 new COVID-19 cases in South-East Queensland were children under the age of nine. Children under the age of 16 are still not able to access vaccinations. When will parents be informed about their children's eligibility for the vaccine?

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

[by video link] In fact, the minister for health in the last day or so has actually confirmed access to vaccine for children between the ages of 12 and 16 based on certain health conditions. That process is being commenced and is being supported by the advice of ATAGI. We have one vaccine that currently has approval for use for children between 12 and 16, and that is the Pfizer vaccine. The minister for health yesterday announced a number of parameters where children with certain health indicators can in fact start to access a vaccine. There are no vaccines at this point in time in Australia that have been approved for use for children under the age of 12. So we will continue to follow the health advice and support Australians— (Time expired)

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

Senator Chisholm, a final supplementary question?

Anthony Chisholm (Queensland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Can the minister confirm the Morrison government is confident that vaccinating just 56 per cent of the population will protect Australians and allow for reduced restrictions?

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

[by video link] That is the advice from the Doherty Institute. That's why we're following the advice from the Doherty Institute. That's why we commissioned the work in the first place, so that we could understand and make the appropriate decisions on the thresholds that were required for governments, through national cabinet and at a state level, to make their decisions in relation to reopening the economy and the community.

We all want to see the back of this pandemic as soon as possible. That's why we continue to work every day to ensure availability and access to vaccines and to grow that availability and access. The decisions that are being taken are based on the research that's been commissioned by the government at the request of national cabinet to support the reopening of the Australian economy. We will continue to follow that advice.