Marise Payne (NSW, Liberal Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Smith very much for the question. As announced today by the Prime Minister, particularly in relation to Singapore, through our diplomatic channels with Singapore, and previously with Poland, the government has been able to secure access to 1.5 million vaccine doses this month. Earlier today, the Prime Minister, the health minister and I announced that Australia will receive 500,000 doses of the Pfizer vaccine from Singapore under a dose-sharing arrangement. We will, in turn, deliver 500,000 Pfizer doses to Singapore in December, when those supplies are available. It is a constructive and flexible way for governments to work together in all of our interests to manage COVID-19. I particularly want to thank Prime Minister Lee, Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan and the people of Singapore, and I acknowledge the work of Australia's High Commissioner Will Hodgman and his team, who have worked closely with the government of Singapore to achieve this outcome.

Earlier this month, we announced our agreement to receive one million Pfizer vaccines from Poland. These additional doses came on top of the 40 million Pfizer doses that Australia has secured for 2021, and that does provide a boost to the vaccine rollout across the country. It does also demonstrate the value of Australia's close engagement with other governments, and it's a strong example of countries cooperating and supporting one another, as we face the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic together and across the Indo-Pacific in particular. It also reinforces the role that my department, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, plays in supporting Australia's response to, and recovery from, COVID-19. We are cooperating with our partners in the region—cooperating to save lives, to advance economic recovery and to build health systems to protect against future pandemics.