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

I can't say that I'd heard that quote until the senator used it. Thank you, Senator O'Neill. I want to emphasise—because the quote suggests, perhaps, a misunderstanding that there's going to be some compulsion for people to have a vaccine—that the government's always been very clear that Australians will face a choice in relation to getting vaccinated. We do urge all Australians to exercise that choice. I'm very pleased that some 234,899 Australians turned out yesterday as part of the vaccination program, pushing the number of vaccine doses administered to some 13.958 million across Australia. That is a demonstration of the momentum that is building across the rollout, which has now seen 44.7 per cent of those aged over 16 receive at least their first dose. (Time expired)