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. If children between the ages of 12 and 16 are not included in the government's vaccination targets, the whole-of-the-population target is actually 65 per cent, not 80 per cent. If we reopen at 65 per cent, our hospitals will be overwhelmed and we will have tens of thousands of cases. As Queensland's latest outbreak shows, kids can catch and transmit COVID. Why aren't you including children above the age of 12 in the vaccination program? How many children have to catch COVID before the government includes them in its vaccination targets?

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

[by video link] I thank Senator Siewert for the question. In fact, children are included in the vaccination program, as announced by the health minister on Monday. We commenced with children with certain health issues, Indigenous children and children in remote communities as a part of our vaccination program. The vaccination availability and approval for children was only made by the TGA in recent times, so the health minister in fact did announce on Monday that children will become part of the vaccination program in the categories that I've outlined.

Our objective is to offer all Australians for whom a vaccine has been approved the opportunity to have one as soon as possible. We want all of those over the age of 18 to have the opportunity for a vaccine by the end of the year. As I've said a number of times, and as the health minister and the Prime Minister and many of my colleagues have said, we will continue to grow and develop the vaccine program with the availability of vaccine opening up more opportunities for Australians to access the vaccine through more outlets. It's important that as many Australians as possible get vaccinated. We've seen with the delta variant how the COVID virus has modified and changed its behaviour, so it's important that we continue to adapt to the circumstances as the virus itself adapts and creates more variants. The government will continue to do that.

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] Thank you, Mr President. Minister, the government is not including all children in the target. They are not including children aged between 12 and 16 in their targets. Why isn't that occurring? Why have you only relied on the Doherty institute for advice and not listened to other experts as well, such as the Grattan Institute, who are saying children need to be included in the target, not just a program, and all children aged between 12 and 16?

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

[by video link] I thank Senator Siewert for the question. The government commissioned the Doherty institute to conduct research to provide us with advice on the parameters for opening up the economy. We have released that information publicly so that all Australians can understand the circumstances under which the various stages of the process to open up the economy and open up the community can be undertaken. The Doherty institute modelling was based on the advice with respect to vaccinations available at the time. As I've just indicated, children will progressively become part of the vaccination rollout program, But the vaccination program rollout has always been based on a range of priorities, and those priorities have progressed as we've had availability of additional vaccines.

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] Thank you. Minister, are you not including kids because there is not enough vaccine available and do you concede that not including children aged between 12 and 16 in the target is a much more risky approach?

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

[by video link] I thank Senator Siewert for the question. I've already indicated on a number of occasions that children will be part of the vaccine rollout, so I don't concede what she's indicated as part of her question. Children will be included, and already are being included, as part of the vaccine rollout.

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

They're not part of the target.

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

Order!

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

A point of order, Mr President.

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

I'm sorry, Senator Siewert, but I think the rules of engagement under remote participation don't allow points of order to be made remotely. Someone here can do it. Senator Colbeck to continue.

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

[by video link] Thank you, Mr President. The government commissioned the Doherty institute to undertake research to give us and all of the community an indication of the parameters that might permit the community to open up and the economy to open up. That information has been provided to all Australians so that they can understand the circumstances and the targets with which that might occur. We will continue to provide access to vaccines for all Australians as approved by the TGA. (Time expired)