Richard Colbeck (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Senior Australians and Aged Care Services) Share this | Hansard source

As I've indicated to the chamber a number of times today, on a number of occasions we've had to reset the vaccination rollout to the aged-care workforce. In fact, the vaccination of the aged-care workforce was a specific topic of discussion at national cabinet only a couple of weeks ago. All the states and territories and the Commonwealth are taking the matter of vaccination of the workforce extremely seriously.

As I've indicated to the chamber already today, on a couple of occasions we've had to reset the vaccination process for the residential aged-care workforce because of health advice we've received with respect to, firstly, vaccinating the workforce and the residents at the same time, and, also, the utilisation of the AstraZeneca vaccine for those 50 and over and a preference for the Pfizer vaccine for those under 50. What is in place right now to support the workforce is: access to their GP; state Pfizer clinics; GP respiratory clinics; an in-reach program that is out for open tender for aged-care providers to vaccinate their own workforces, in conjunction with other health professionals; and, of course, we continue to offer the aged-care workforce in residential aged care access to the Pfizer vaccine while we're doing the second round of vaccinations and completing that process. So we continue to provide a number of opportunities for the aged-care workforce to access a vaccine, and it remains a topic of discussion at the highest levels, including national cabinet.