Helen Polley (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Health and Aged Care, Senator Colbeck. How many days is it since the Morrison-Joyce government failed to meet its own Easter target for vaccinating all—and I emphasise 'all'—aged-care workers?

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

Senator Polley, through her question, continues the dishonesty of the Labor Party in prosecuting the discussion around this particular matter.

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

Order, Senator Colbeck. Senator Polley, on a point of order?

Helen Polley (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It's on relevance. The question was very specific. It was: how many days is it since the Morrison-Joyce government set its own target date?

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

Senator Polley, I do take points of order on direct relevance. I called the minister to order at, I think, 12 seconds or 13 seconds, so I'm going to listen to his answer. You've made your point. Yes, Senator Polley?

Helen Polley (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I just would draw your attention to the word of accusation, that I've been dishonest, which I thought was unparliamentary, and I draw your attention to it.

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

The way I heard it—and, if I am incorrect, I will ask Senator Colbeck to withdraw—he referred to the Labor Party with that term.

Senator Polley interjecting—

Well, I didn't hear that. I will rely upon the minister, if he did say it, to withdraw it. If not, I'll check the Hansard, but I was listening quite carefully when I heard the term. If I am wrong, I apologise in advance. Can I urge senators again—this happened another time in debate—that if we avoid the use of terms then we avoid getting into unparliamentary language and, if we avoid interjections, we also stay more relevant to questions.

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

And Labor not only are being dishonest in their points of order but are being dishonest in their representation of the issue. We did set ourselves an objective with respect to vaccination of the aged-care workforce, but we received advice from the health professionals that we not vaccinate residents and the workforce at the same time. I've put that information on the table so many times in this chamber. I know that Labor are living in the past, I know that they're only interested in fighting us and not helping us fight the virus, but we received health advice not to vaccinate residents and staff at the same time. We took that advice. We then, through the AHPPC and through national cabinet, set a target date of 17 September for all aged-care workers to have received a first dose. We're on track to meet that target. We will continue to work to that objective. I had a webinar that was open to every aged-care provider and their infection control lead this morning to talk to them about the target and the processes that we were going through, the advice that we could assist them with and the channels that were available to them to get their workforce vaccinated. This is an important measure. We continue to work on it. We are determined to meet our objective and we continue to work cooperatively with the sector and the unions, I might add, in that course. We continue to work to support people in the aged-care sector in Australia.

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

Senator Polley, a supplementary question?

Helen Polley (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Morrison conceded this week that there were still challenges in the aged-care vaccine rollout. Was Mr Morrison referring to the approximately 60,000 aged-care workers who remain unvaccinated, with the 17 September deadline just weeks away?

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

This is a further example of the Labor Party living in the past—that's very, very old data. We continue to publish the data. It's available on the website. We've actually put on the website every single aged-care facility in this country so people can look and see what the vaccination rates are. That's transparency. That's working with the sector to understand what's going on. That's why I spent time this morning on a webinar open to every aged-care provider in Australia and their infection control lead, to work them through any issues they might have in achieving their objective and our objective.

Senator Polley interjecting—

It's not right, Senator. Your numbers are wrong. You're living in the past, Senator. We will continue to work with the sector cooperatively to ensure that we get there. (Time expired)

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

Senator Polley, a final supplementary question?

Helen Polley (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

With approximately 60,000 aged-care workers still unvaccinated, will the minister today guarantee that the Morrison-Joyce government will meet the 17 September target?

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

Again Senator Polley's numbers are wrong. As I have indicated a number of times, we are determined to meet our objective and we know that the aged-care sector and the unions are happy to work with us—

Senator Polley interjecting—

Well, if that's the answer you want, ask the question, Senator. You can't even get your questions right. It's just absurd what the Labor Party are tossing up here at the moment. We continue to work with the sector to get the workers vaccinated. As of this morning, 83.4 per cent of the aged-care sector have had a first dose and 62 per cent have had a second dose.

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

Order, Senator Colbeck. I have Senator Watt on a point of order.

Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Northern Australia) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It's on relevance. The question was very clearly whether the minister will guarantee that the government will meet its target. While I'm on my feet, I might also ask if you could review the transcript in relation to the dishonesty point.

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

I will. I'm very happy to, and if I'm wrong I apologise in advance, as I said. With respect to the point of order, that was the second part of the question. I can't instruct the minister to use a word or not. But the first part of the question contained an assertion about a number and a statistic that the minister is challenging. He is entitled to do that and be directly relevant to the question. He's not entitled to stray from the topic, but he is allowed to challenge it. Senator Colbeck.

Opposition senators interjecting—

Order! If we don't have interjections there's no need to respond to them. Thank you, Senator Colbeck.

Senator Keneally interjecting—

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

Senator Keneally interjects that I didn't give any data. I've just said that 83.4 per cent of the aged-care workforce have had a first dose of vaccination and 62 per cent have had a second dose.

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

Order, Senator Colbeck. I have Senator Polley on a point of order.

Helen Polley (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The minister is still avoiding the main question, which was: are you going to guarantee that those 60,000 aged-care workers—

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

Senator Polley, please resume your seat. I have repeatedly said that points of order must start with a standing order, rather than simply accusing someone of not answering a preferred part of the question in a preferred manner. Senator Colbeck, please continue.

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

We will continue to work with the aged-care sector with the objective of vaccinating the entire workforce by 17 September. (Time expired)