Pauline Hanson (Queensland, Pauline Hanson's One Nation Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

[by video link] My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Birmingham. In the event the coalition is returned to government at this year's federal election, will the Prime Minister commit to establishing a royal commission into the management of the COVID-19 pandemic by Australian governments?

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

I thank Senator Hanson for her question. It is a very similar question to one that I addressed yesterday or the day before in relation to the types of reviews that could be undertaken. The Prime Minister has been very clear that right now, in the here and now, the government's priority remains on the response to the pandemic. In responding to the pandemic in Australia and working together, the Commonwealth government, state and territory governments, business, community, health experts and service providers in particular have all managed to achieve some outstanding outcomes in comparison to the rest of the world. Across Australia, we retain one of the lowest fatality rates, one of the highest vaccination rates and some of the strongest economic outcomes. They have all been very important, hard-fought outcomes that Australians as a whole have contributed to, and they have responded to all those messages.

The Prime Minister also acknowledged that there will be time for appropriate reviews and inquiries to look at the management of COVID-19. Of course, we have had in this chamber an ongoing review process through the COVID select committee that was established, but I'm sure there will be processes that look back, once we can put the pandemic more clearly in the rear-view mirror. The exact nature of such reviews and inquiries will be matters to be discussed with states and territories and others at the time. Whilst it will be important to have a look at preparedness and readiness for the handling of future crises and other uncertainties, and to look at what has gone right or wrong, I would, as I did in my response the other day, also just caveat that with the fact that the next pandemic or the next crisis will be quite different, no doubt, to this one. So, while there will be lessons to be learned, we shouldn't pretend that anything will always provide preparation for all of the uncertainties we may face.

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

Senator Hanson, a supplementary question.

Pauline Hanson (Queensland, Pauline Hanson's One Nation Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Prime Minister has consistently stated he does not support mandatory COVID-19 vaccinations, but he did not support my COVID-19 vaccination discrimination bill. Why hasn't the Prime Minister introduced government legislation to give effect to his position and override state and territory vaccine mandates?

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

The response to that, in part, is contained within your question there, Senator Hanson. And that is that we are not about to introduce legislation to override the states and territories in these matters. We have supported vaccine mandates only in the most limited of circumstances, as Senator Colbeck and others have worked through. Those limited circumstances are for high-risk settings such as aged care. Beyond that, we have strongly encouraged all Australians to get vaccinated and more than 94 per cent have responded by being double-dose vaccinated. We have strongly encouraged people to have the third-dose booster, and many millions have responded by receiving the third-dose booster.

But the decisions of state and territory governments to apply their own mandates in different circumstances are matters between them and their electorates. Of course it is for parties, oppositions and people to make their own determinations in those states and territories.

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

Senator Hanson, a second supplementary question.

Pauline Hanson (Queensland, Pauline Hanson's One Nation Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Minister you didn't just encourage people to have them; you actually complied with the states to force people to have them or else they would lose their jobs and positions and not be allowed into hospitals or doctors' practices or stadiums or pubs or clubs. So if the Prime Minister will not introduce legislation, what measures will he implement to end COVID-19 vaccine discrimination in Australia and allow millions of citizens the rights and freedoms to which they are entitled?

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

Senator Hanson, as I said, these are state and territory mandates. They differ across different states and territories. They're decisions taken under the constitutional powers of the states and territories through their public health and emergency orders, using state and territory laws.

We're not in the business of routinely seeking to override all state and territory laws and powers or to be the arbiter of what is right or wrong in every state and territory. They have to stand and account for themselves. They are each democratically elected governments. They each have an opposition and other political representatives in their state or territory, and those are the right places to debate the laws and approaches of those states or territories.

Our government has taken a different approach. We have not believed that widespread mandates are necessary except in the most exceptional of circumstances. We've been clear and consistent about that, and our encouragement of Australians to voluntarily get vaccinated has helped to achieve some of the best vaccine outcomes in the world, which is helping to keep Australia safe. (Time expired)