House debates Questions without Notice
COVID-19: Vaccination
Jim Chalmers Rankin, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Treasurer
2:06 pm
My question is to the Prime Minister. Why does the Prime Minister claim to oppose mandates on hospitality venues in Queensland but support the exact same restrictions in New South Wales?
Scott Morrison Cook, Liberal Party, Prime Minister
2:07 pm
Again, the member who puts forward the question is misrepresenting. Let me be very, very clear. The government supports mandatory vaccines of health workers, aged-care workers and disability workers. That's what the government supports for all other venues and employers. You don't like the answer?
Tony Smith Speaker
The Prime Minister will resume his seat. The Leader of the Opposition will either raise his point of order or not. The Leader of the Opposition, on a point of order.
Anthony Albanese Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition
The question very clearly went to hospitality venues in Queensland. The Prime Minister says it's a problem you can't get a cup of coffee without showing your vaccination certificate—
Anthony Albanese Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition
in Brisbane. It's the same in Sydney.
Tony Smith Speaker
The Leader of the Opposition will resume his seat. The Prime Minister has the call.
Scott Morrison Cook, Liberal Party, Prime Minister
If venues, businesses, airlines and other places of work seek to require their employees to be vaccinated, they have that right under the law. They have that right under the law, but it is not the Commonwealth government's policy that they should be told to do that. Wherever that is in the country, that is not the government's policy. We couldn't be clearer. We support mandatory vaccines for health workers, aged-care workers, disability workers—those who are working with vulnerable people. But when it comes to what happens in somebody's business, we believe businesses should make that decision and shouldn't be told by the government what they should be doing.