Andrew Bragg (NSW, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Health, Senator Cash. Can the minister please update the Senate on the global search for a COVID-19 vaccine and how it will impact Australia's health response?

Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Employment, Skills, Small and Family Business) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Bragg for the question. I'm pleased, obviously, to update the Senate that the Morrison government welcomes the emergency approval given to the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine in the United Kingdom. This is particularly so, given the over 1.6 million cases and the tragic loss of over 59,000 lives in the United Kingdom. This emergency approval is not a full public authorisation; however, it does allow the United Kingdom government to deploy the vaccine as quickly as possible to specific groups of patients, such as frontline healthcare workers, people over the age of 80 and aged-care residents. This emergency authorisation is in response to the very high disease load in the United Kingdom at present. It is understood that, under the emergency use authorisation, the vaccine will not be generally available to the wider United Kingdom population.

In terms of Australia, Pfizer continues to work with the Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration, providing data for safety and efficacy as part of the approval process. Our advice remains that the time line for a decision on approval is expected by the end of January 2021, and our planning is for the first vaccine delivery in March 2021. Pfizer's, of course, is one of four vaccines the Australian government has purchased, for a total projected supply of around 134.8 million units. In addition, we will have access to up to 25.5 million units under the international Covax Facility. Safety is of course our No. 1 priority, and Australia is well placed for a thorough but rapid safety assessment and an early rollout of a free, voluntary but universally available COVID-19 vaccine program.

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Bragg, a supplementary question?

Andrew Bragg (NSW, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Should a vaccine prove safe and effective, how has the government's vaccine strategy positioned Australia to roll out a vaccine in 2021?

Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Employment, Skills, Small and Family Business) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Morrison government has made a $3.2 billion investment in advanced purchasing agreements with four vaccine manufacturers: AstraZeneca, CSL, Pfizer and Novavax. We've contracted for, as I've already stated, around 134 million vaccines directly, in addition to another 25 million units of vaccine through the international Covax Facility. This means Australia has secured enough supplies to vaccinate Australians many times over, subject to success and approvals. Our medical experts have identified the class of vaccines that we need. The vaccines we have secured are amongst the most advanced, and it is increasingly likely that all of our contracted vaccines are on the pathway to being successful, safe and effective.

Australia actually has high vaccination rates, with over 94 per cent of Australian five-year-olds having been vaccinated each quarter this year. Australia—

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order, Senator Cash. Senator Bragg, a final supplementary question?

Andrew Bragg (NSW, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

How will these investments continue to support Australia's unique response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and how is Australia positioned, compared to other countries, to face the challenges of COVID-19?

Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Employment, Skills, Small and Family Business) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

More than $18.5 billion has been committed to supporting the emergency COVID-19 health response to the pandemic. When we look, though, at the situation here in Australia compared to that of other nations, we are performing remarkably well. Just in terms of a global update, there have been over 63 million confirmed cases of COVID-19 globally and over 1.4 million deaths in total. In Australia, we've had 27,923 confirmed cases and, sadly, 908 deaths. Whilst we can never be complacent, the systems we have in place have resulted in lower loss of life, lower transmission rates and lower economic impacts than in most other countries.