Gladys Liu (Chisholm, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

Australia has turned a corner. It's fair to say that we have had our challenges over the past few months, but now our vaccine program is really hitting its stride. We are administering a million COVID-19 vaccine doses every six days. The latest figures show that one in five Australians aged over 16, including myself, are now fully vaccinated and two in three aged over 50 have had their first dose. In July we increased the percentage of Australians aged over 16 who are fully vaccinated by 11.1 percentage points to 19 percentage points. That is more than double the increase we achieved in June. If we keep this going we will hit the target we have set ourselves. We will move to the next phases under our national plan to chart our way out of COVID-19 and back to normal life. We are getting this done, and it is pleasing to see that the rates of vaccination are increasing all the time. Meanwhile, the government is keeping in place the strict border and quarantine measures that are protecting the health of the Australian community from COVID-19. These arrangements are constantly reviewed, and I have every confidence that Australia's hardworking public servants and health professionals will continue to make improvements on them in the months ahead.

The opposition may have short memories but the Australian people do not. They know that it was Prime Minister Scott Morrison's decision in early 2020 to close our borders to China that shielded Australia from the devastation felt by so many other countries around the world. The Labor Party also know this, but they would rather attack and undermine than support the vaccine rollout and support Australians. At a time when Australians need unity from governments at all levels, this morning we were instead treated to the half-baked musings of the opposition leader. He proposed, seemingly off the top of his head, that the government spend $6 billion to pay all Australians, including the billionaire Gina Rinehart, to get vaccinated. I mean, I've heard of middle-class welfare but it's quite rare to see upper-class welfare in action, and from those supposed champions of working people on the other side of the House no less.

Unlike the Leader of the Opposition, the Prime Minister has expressed his faith that Australians will continue to step up, do the right thing and get vaccinated. This is a faith that I and all of us on this side of the House share. Australians don't need a payoff. Australia's billionaires certainly don't need one. Australians know it is the right thing to do to protect themselves, protect their families, support the community and support the country. I call on the opposition to get on 'Team Australia' now, to support the rollout, back in the health advice and stop playing on frustration and fear. There is a long road ahead, but Australia's record in saving lives and livelihoods has been working and is world leading. That's what really matters, and Australians should be immensely proud of their efforts.

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