Malarndirri McCarthy (NT, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Birmingham. Can the minister confirm that, nearly two years after COVID-19 reached Australian shores, and with the emergence of a new variant of concern, not one new federal quarantine facility has yet opened its doors?

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

I thank the senator for her question. Australia's decisions taken and led by the Prime Minister from 1 February last year to close our international borders have been a key feature of Australia's success in protecting Australians from COVID-19 and ensuring that we have saved lives—some estimated 30,000-plus lives, compared with the OECD averages for deaths around the world. Alongside that, we've been fortunate, thanks to economic responses, to be able to save businesses and jobs and to ensure that Australia weathers the global storm caused by this global pandemic—

Slade Brockman (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

A point of order, Senator McCarthy?

Malarndirri McCarthy (NT, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It's on relevance. I asked specifically about the building of new quarantine facilities.

Slade Brockman (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I'm listening carefully to the minister's answer. I will allow you to bring the minister back to the question. Minister, you have the call.

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

Those border closures have served Australia well. The quarantine arrangements that have been associated with those border closures have, overwhelmingly, also worked effectively and served Australians well. In the vast majority of cases, hundreds of thousands of Australians have been able to move back into our country safely and securely. Part of that has been the crucial role that the Howard Springs facility has played in the Northern Territory; it received a significant expansion to a capacity of 2,000 during this time frame.

In addition to the work at the Howard Springs facility, work is underway on additional quarantine facilities in Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth following the encouragement and partnership agreements struck by state governments in each of those jurisdictions. The first of those is scheduled to see beds handed over to the Victorian government by the end of this year. That remains on track and remains the case to provide longer term capabilities to respond to COVID or other emergencies into the future.

Slade Brockman (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator McCarthy, a supplementary question?

Malarndirri McCarthy (NT, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Would Australia's defences against the omicron variant be stronger if Mr Morrison had listened to the experts and built fit-for-purpose national health quarantine facilities?

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

Australia's defences throughout COVID-19, as I said at the outset, have been incredibly strong. We have shown amazing resilience as a nation and great capacity to be able to minimise the loss of life and, whilst minimising the loss of life, to work ourselves into a position as a nation where we are now one of the most heavily vaccinated and most protected populations and nations across the planet and that is our key protection in relation to COVID-19.

We are working on building these additional centres for national resilience. These centres will serve their purpose in continued response to COVID-19 but they will also serve a purpose in response to other future pandemics, natural disasters or emergency situations around the world. It is important in relation to the omicron variant that we keep a sense of perspective, as many infectious disease and public health experts have urged. Government is working through the evidence in relation to that.

Slade Brockman (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator McCarthy, a second supplementary question?

Malarndirri McCarthy (NT, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

How many more variants of concern will appear on Australian shores before Mr Morrison finally delivers fit-for-purpose national quarantine capacity?

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

AM (—) (): I think it is very important for all leaders in this place to keep a sense of perspective in relation to the omicron variant or, indeed, other variants that may emerge in the future. As Professor Peter Collignon, infectious diseases physician at the ANU, said, fear is 'out of proportion to the data at the moment' with this new variant. Indeed, as Professor Greg Dore, epidemiologist at the Kirby Institute said, 'Ideal response to uncertainty is to accelerate evidence gathering. It's not the pull the panic levers … ' I would urge those opposite and all to keep that sense of perspective at present. The government has acted in a precautionary way to further tighten border restrictions in relation to a number of nations across the southern part of the African continent. We are continuing to receive regular briefings in relation to this. But it is notable that a number of health experts have highlighted the seemingly mild implications of this variant, so we ought to all keep it in perspective.