Claire Chandler (Tasmania, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise to speak on this debate about answers to questions without notice regarding the vaccination rollout and the COVID-19 crisis. These are incredibly important issues that our country faces, and it is a pleasure to be able to stand here and talk about what the government is doing in this regard, because we find ourselves more than a year and a half into a global pandemic that has changed the world as we once knew it. In that time, every nation and every government has faced a constantly evolving set of challenges to keep citizens safe and, as far as possible, keep the economy moving forward. When I've previously spoken in the take note debate on these issues I have focused on the unprecedented nature of the COVID-19 crisis and the way the government has had to adapt to the crisis as it's changed in the way that it has impacted on our country and on our society, and individuals within it.

No government in the world would claim to have got everything right over the last couple of years, and I think that most likely includes every government in Australia, both state and federal. But we must keep looking forward and moving towards the goals that will prevent Australians from dying and being hospitalised from this awful illness and that will allow us to reopen our economy, our small businesses and our communities. That's why it is so important that the vaccine rollout continues to ramp up and be extended to more and more Australians who are eager to do their bit and get the jab. Certainly that is what we are seeing across the country at the moment, and that is something that I think we should all be proud of. More than 13½ million vaccine doses have now been administered, and we are well over the mark of hitting more than a million doses administered every week. I think that is great news, and I'm sure many Australians are happy to hear it. A total of 4½ million vaccinations were given in July, which is more than double that achieved in May, when 2.1 million doses were administered, which I think was most likely the last time I was in here taking note on this exact same topic.

I'm pleased to say that my home state of Tasmania is leading the way amongst Australian states in getting the population vaccinated, with over 50 per cent having had their first dose, and that was certainly a milestone that I think will be celebrated in Tasmania. It is clear from the daily numbers that are coming in that Australians continue to remain eager to get the jab, and those numbers of Australians who are fully vaccinated are going to continue to climb. When I speak to young Australians about getting the vaccine, they are enthused as to when the opportunity will arise for them, whether that's waiting for Pfizer or having conversations with their GP about the possibility of getting AstraZeneca. Young Australians certainly want to do our bit to help our country get through the COVID-19 crisis and see those restrictions start to come away and a return to normal. This is exactly what we want to see.

The national plan to transition Australia's COVID-19 response has been agreed in principle at national cabinet, and that is a really important part of charting the pathway forward for us to get back to situation normal. It shifts the focus from continued suppression of community transmission to postvaccination settings focused on prevention of serious illness and fatalities where the public health management of COVID-19 becomes consistent with that of other infectious diseases. The plan consists of four phases, with the success of one stage and movement into the next determined by meeting vaccine thresholds at both a state and a national level. This is based on scientific and economic modelling conducted for the COVID-19 Risk Analysis and Response Task Force.

We as a government are undertaking a clear, methodical and science based response to COVID-19. The way we get there—getting back to situation normal, being able to ease these social restrictions and seeing the days of border restrictions and lockdowns gone—is by continuing the rollout of the vaccine, and Australians continue to show their willingness to get vaccinated against the virus. They understand that getting vaccinated isn't just about protecting themselves; in fact, it's about protecting their family and their local community. This is the only way that our lives will return to some sense of normality where extended lockdowns are a thing of the past and where we don't need to worry about interstate borders being closed at a moment's notice. We know how tough it is right now for so many Australians who are enduring lockdowns, and I certainly hope to— (Time expired)