Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Finance) Share this | Hansard source

I can't say that I've reviewed the specific comments of Senator Rennick, and I won't always take Senator Watt's word for it. What I can confirm, well and truly, is the government's very strong support for the vaccination rollout and very strong encouragement for all Australians to get vaccinated at the earliest opportunity and for all Australians to heed the advice in relation to the safety of vaccines and the efficacy of vaccines. The evidence shows very clearly that both vaccines available in Australia, the AstraZeneca vaccine and the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, reduce the rate of death when somebody acquires COVID-19 by some 92 per cent and 90 per cent respectively. That is the prime abiding reason and incentive for why anyone should get a vaccine. The number one incentive to get vaccinated in Australia: because it could save your life; because it could save the lives of family members.