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

I thank Senator O'Neill for her question. The government indeed takes our share of responsibility for working with New South Wales and the people of New South Wales in what is a very difficult and trying time for them. We have ensured that we support the New South Wales government, through the deployment of ADF personnel, to assist them in relation to enforcement activities and compliance activities around the lockdown that is in place, and we have also provided, as is common practice, additional personnel and resources to assist with the contact-tracing effort underway in New South Wales. We have also, where possible, provided additional access to vaccines for the people of New South Wales, particularly in relation to targeting some of those parts of Sydney that are facing some of the greatest stress and pressures. And so we do recognise the need to take responsibility, to work carefully and closely with New South Wales through these very difficult—