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

My question is to the Minister representing the Minister For Health and Aged Care, Senator Watt. The contract the European health agency signed with Pfizer for the purchase of the COVID vaccine is now in the public domain. Although its bona fides has not been officially recognised, that contract indicates that, yes, Pfizer was given a financial indemnity against damage claims resulting from harm the COVID vaccine caused. Minister, does the contract that the Morrison-Joyce government signed with Pfizer include a clause that indemnifies Pfizer from any claims for damages resulting from harm to Australians injected with Pfizer's Comirnaty substance?

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Roberts, before I go to that, I believe you directed the question to Senator Watt, but I'm advised that it should go to Senator Gallagher.

Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Public Service) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Roberts for the question. Obviously this predates this government—the arrangements that were entered into—

Gerard Rennick (Queensland, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Just answer the question!

Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Public Service) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Just give me a chance, Gerard. I'm getting to it. My understanding is there is an indemnity in place, but if I am wrong I will come and change the record. I understand it was put in place for a number of the new vaccines because they were new. There were particular COVID related arrangements put in place to ensure that we could essentially support the rollout of a widespread national vaccination program which was so important to ensuring that we protected Australians from the worst of the COVID outbreaks. That was essentially a secret. Getting the vaccine program rolled out and protecting people in the fastest possible way was a key strategy of managing the pandemic. If I have anything else to add to that I will come back, particularly if I have to correct the record. But I recall from my chairing of the COVID Committee that there were indemnity arrangements put in place for vaccine contracts.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Roberts, your first supplementary question?

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

The contract between the European health agency and Pfizer included a provision that product indemnity was voided should Pfizer have omitted fraud such as in their vaccine approval process. Minister, does our contract with Pfizer include a similar get-out-of-jail-free clause for Australian taxpayers that allows the indemnity to be removed in the case of Pfizer misconduct or for any other reason? If not, on what basis was the decision taken to absolve Pfizer of responsibility for any harm their substance caused?

Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Public Service) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I think it's probably best that I take that question on notice, because I wasn't a member of the government that entered into the arrangement. I'm not trying to not take responsibility, but I think it's probably best that I get an answer to you after taking some advice about that. I know there were elements of the contract that weren't public, and I don't know if there are some commercial-in-confidence arrangements in place, but I will seek to update the Senate with what information I can find, in an attempt to answer your question, Senator Roberts.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Roberts, a second supplementary?

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

Thank you, that would be appreciated, Minister. The TGA Database of Adverse Event Notifications lists 136,000 adverse vaccine events, the majority from Pfizer. Doctors have reported almost 1,000 deaths, thought to grossly under-report actual deaths, and the Australian Bureau of Statistics recently reported 15 deaths. Apparently, Australian taxpayers will carry that entire liability. Minister, have you personally read the contract and will you release the Pfizer contract so that we can all see what the government agreed to?

Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Public Service) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My answer to this question is similar to my last question. I haven't personally read the contract with Pfizer, and I do understand that there might be elements of that, that aren't in the public domain, in standard commercial-in-confidence arrangements.

I do know that the TGA does report, as Senator Roberts pointed out, about adverse events. There are a range of events within that, of any reaction to the vaccine, including the most severe reactions. But I would also say there have been millions and millions of doses provided, through the vaccination program, to protect Australians from COVID. So it has been, overall, a very, very successful vaccination program in protecting Australians from the worst effects of COVID-19. If there is anything further I can provide to the Senate, I will.