Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Acting Prime Minister. Does the Acting Prime Minister acknowledge that the failure to secure deals for the early supply of a diverse range of vaccines has led to a heavy reliance on AstraZeneca, which has been subject to changing health advice; contributed to vaccine hesitancy; slowed Australia's vaccine rollout; and put our economic recovery at risk?

Michael McCormack (Riverina, National Party, Leader of the Nationals) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the opposition leader for his question. We have at all points in this global pandemic made sure that we followed the best medical advice and did what a responsible government would do as far as the vaccination rollout is concerned, making sure we had the necessary funding to get the necessary doses out to communities, whether they were metropolitan communities or rural and remote communities. Last week the Victorian government confirmed that it had the necessary supply of Pfizer vaccines, including first and second doses, in that state's vaccine storage facilities.

In response to increased rates of vaccination in Victoria, the Australian government has provided 1.5 million additional Pfizer doses and increased the supply of AstraZeneca to Victoria, from 26,100 to 41,100 per week, for a total of six weeks, for state hubs; a further 80,000 additional AstraZeneca doses for state clinics; and a doubling of AstraZeneca for all Victorian general practices. What that means is that the Pfizer supply to Victoria is about 104,000 each week and 133,000 for the rest of June, which includes a baseline delivery of 71,000 doses a week plus the 150,000 extra doses we're giving Victoria to get through this outbreak. In July, Victoria's baseline Pfizer doses will increase to around 83,000 a week, and Victorian GPs will receive 200,000 doses through the month.

I'm pleased to say DHL is continuing its delivery of those vaccinations to many parts of regional and remote Australia. They've already travelled 24 million kilometres. We have the Royal Flying Doctor Service flying vaccinations to 80 communities, servicing 30,000 Australians in remote areas. We will continue to provide the vaccinations and we will continue to provide the necessary funding, whatever it takes.