Louise Pratt (WA, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Manufacturing) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to Senator Birmingham, the Minister representing the Prime Minister. WA Premier Mark McGowan, whose state has no local restrictions, criticised the Prime Minister for implying 'Western Australians were like cave people'. Why did Mr Morrison liken Western Australians to cave people?

Hon. Senators:

Honourable senators interjecting—

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

Order! Before I call Senator Birmingham, I'm going to insist on order during the question. I'm going to insist on silence during the question. Senator Birmingham.

Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Finance) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

[by video link] I completely reject Senator Pratt's assertion and its implications. It is completely false. Indeed, it is an attempt to beat these statements up—statements that were in no way suggesting that any particular part of Australia was as Senator Pratt has suggested. This was an analogy drawn about the very important pathway out of the challenging situation Australia and, indeed, the world faces. Our plan is one focused very much on driving vaccination across Australia to support Australians, as we hit the 70 per cent and 80 per cent targets informed by the experts at the Doherty institute, to be able to move beyond widespread statewide lockdowns and restrictions—to be able to move beyond the restrictions that prohibit individuals from being able to reunite with families and loved ones or pursue business opportunities across state borders. We want to see success for Australia. As we have succeeded, relative to so many other nations, in saving lives, we want to see success on the way out of this as well. Of course, what we have from the Labor Party is no plan—no plan, no pathway. All we have are these cheap political points that we're getting, whilst the rest of the country is getting on with striving towards the plan.

Senator Watt interjecting—

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

Order, Senator Watt!

Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Finance) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

In stark contrast to the Labor Party, Australians are turning out in record numbers, day in, day out, getting vaccinated, driving us toward the targets we need as a nation. That's what's going to get us there—

Senator O'Sullivan interjecting—

Senator Pratt interjecting—

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

Order, order! Senator O'Sullivan! Senator Pratt!

Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Finance) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

not the type of cheap point scoring from Senator Pratt or whatever it is that Senator Watt, who I can't hear from here, is saying. Frankly, all of them ought to think about the national interest—it's a blessing that I can't hear him! All should think about the national interest being served by driving the vaccine targets to a point where we can actually give Australians certainty and hope for the future.

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

Order! Can I again ask senators across the chamber to restrain themselves when people are answering questions, particularly remotely, because I was having trouble hearing Senator Birmingham. Senator Pratt, a supplementary question?

Louise Pratt (WA, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Manufacturing) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Morrison-Joyce government has spent more than $1 million of taxpayers' money in support of Clive Palmer's High Court challenge of WA's border restrictions. Isn't Mr Morrison's—

Hon. Senators:

Honourable senators interjecting—

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

Order! Order, both sides of the chamber!

Louise Pratt (WA, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Manufacturing) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

likening of Western Australians to cave people just the latest in a series of attempts to undermine Western Australia?

Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Finance) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

[by video link] No, it's not. But Senator Pratt's desire to create division across Australia is absolutely a way to hurt the nation. It's a way of trying to hurt and divide. It's a way that will not help Western Australia or any other part of Australia move through the remaining stages of COVID-19 to a better place once we see those vaccination targets hit, which day by day we get closer to thanks to the record numbers of Australians being vaccinated. More than 307,000 people turned out yesterday across the country to have another vaccination dose or to have their first dose, climbing our numbers, as we've seen with our senior Australians—now more than 85 per cent of whom over the age of 70 have had that first dose and so many of them have had the second. They're setting the example, a positive example, that we want Western Australians, South Australians, Victorians, Queenslanders, Tasmanians, New South Welshmen, the Territorians all to be able to have the opportunity to reach those targets, knowing— (Time expired)

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

Senator Pratt, a final supplementary?

Louise Pratt (WA, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Manufacturing) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

If Mr Morrison had acted like the vaccine rollout was a race and secured enough supplies, isn't it true Western Australia wouldn't need to have such tough border restrictions, and why is Mr Morrison more interested in insulting Western Australians than taking responsibility for his failures in the vaccine rollout?

Hon. Senators:

Honourable senators interjecting—

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

Order, order! Again, on both sides of the chamber then, there were interjections during the question.

Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Finance) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

(—) (): [by video link] Senator Pratt is showing no sense or logic in recognising what is happening right around the world at present. Australia has been dealing for more than 18 months, as every other country has, with a global pandemic, a once-in-a-century pandemic. As a nation, we've saved lives far more effectively than most others. I pay tribute to and acknowledge the Western Australian government and, indeed, our other state and territory counterparts, working with us in ways that helped to save those lives. But it's a challenge writ large globally. You need only look at countries like Japan, countries like South Korea, places like Taiwan or indeed a nation like New Zealand at present to see these are difficult challenges with the delta variant. What each of us have in common is we've all managed to suppress COVID-19 to a fair degree. We've all managed to suppress it in ways that have saved lives. But, as a result, we didn't get the prioritisation that Europe or the US did in terms of some of the vaccines that were available. But we are all working hard in terms of supporting our population to continue to get— (Time expired)

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

I'm going to ask the indulgence of the Senate. The parliamentary photographer is here, if we all just want him to take a shot of this somewhat unique parliamentary arrangement. This was done in the House yesterday. I'll stop the clock on question time for that matter. It's appropriate the Senate gets recorded as well, not just the House. Thank you.