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

My question is to Senator Colbeck, the Minister representing the Minister for Health and Aged Care. Can the minister confirm to the Senate that the COVID-19 vaccine rollout is on track?

Richard Colbeck (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Senior Australians and Aged Care Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Bragg for the question. Rolling out the COVID-19 vaccine is one of the most significant public health campaigns we have had to conduct this century, and this government is on track to deliver that program. In fact, Minister Hunt has announced this afternoon that the Pfizer vaccinations have just touched down in Sydney, which is a significant milestone for this country. The Australian government aims to have as many people vaccinated as soon as possible. Identified priority groups will be the first to get the available doses of vaccines, and more and more people will progressively have access to a vaccine as more doses become available.

Our world-class vaccination program is on track to deliver as planned and begin rollout this month. It will commence with identified priority populations including aged-care and disability residents, frontline healthcare workers, and quarantine and border workers. They will receive the vaccine first up as part of phase 1A. Phase 1B will include adults aged 70 years and over; other healthcare workers; Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people over 55; younger adults with an underlying medical condition, including those with a disability; critical high-risk workers including defence, fire, police and emergency services; and meat-processing workers. All these groups have been identified as critical to receive the vaccine as soon as possible. Phase 2A includes adults aged 50 to 69 years, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people 18 to 54 years and other critical high-risk workers.

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

A supplementary question, Senator Bragg?

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

Can the minister please outline how many vaccines will be rolled out?

Richard Colbeck (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Senior Australians and Aged Care Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Bragg for his question. Australia is fortunate to be in a position of having secured enough doses to cover the Australian population three times over. So far the Australian government has agreements in place for our community in Australia, which includes 20 million Pfizer doses, 53.8 million AstraZeneca doses and 51 million Novavax doses. We also have access up to 25.6 million doses through the Covax Facility.

As I have outlined, the first delivery of Pfizer doses arrived today, and the international AstraZeneca doses supplies to Australia are likely in March, subject to both TGA approval and shipping, of course. Domestic AstraZeneca production via CSL of 50 million doses is likely to be ready for supply to our program.

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

Senator Bragg, a final supplementary question?

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

Can the minister please update the Senate on how the vaccine rollout plan is supporting vulnerable Australians?

Richard Colbeck (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Senior Australians and Aged Care Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

COVID-19 risks the lives of those most vulnerable in our society, and the government have prioritised those most at risk—our senior Australians and our frontline workers. We are protecting those who are most likely to experience serious disease. We are maintaining the functioning of healthcare and other essential services to preserve health, social and economic security and are extending the vaccination to the general population as quickly as possible. Each phase of the rollout strategy is structured to align with specific population groups based on their risks as advised by the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation. At every step, our highest priority is to safeguard our most precious of resources—our people. Our No. 1 aim is to prevent death and severe disease and limit the transmission of this insidious virus to the maximum extent possible.