Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for International Development and the Pacific. Can the minister update the Senate on how the Liberal-National government is responding to the health and economic challenges posed by COVID-19 in our region and how this supports our own health security and economic recovery?

Zed Seselja (ACT, Liberal Party, Minister for International Development and the Pacific) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

We're all very aware of the devastation that COVID is causing around the world, with around 10,000 deaths a day. Serious outbreaks in our region threaten both our region's health security and Australia's health security and economy, and that's why we have pivoted our aid program to respond. We've added $1 billion in additional COVID-19 related spending to help our region weather the storm. This year we are providing record funding of nearly $1.7 billion to the Pacific. That's 50 per cent higher than when Labor was last in office. To help contain Fiji's current outbreak, we've already provided 250,000 Australian vaccines, and at least 750,000 more will follow. Yesterday a joint Australian and New Zealand medical assistance team arrived in Fiji. Our support has helped Fiji to maintain its world-class levels of testing and contact tracing. In PNG, Australia has reprioritised well over $100 million to support PNG's COVID-19 response and provided an additional $52 million in targeted financing for critical health and education services. This is in addition to providing PNG with AUSMAT teams, Australian vaccines and substantial supplies of personal protective equipment to bolster PNG's COVID-19 response.

Nowhere is the threat to Australia more acute than in the Torres Strait. Vaccinating communities on both sides of the Torres Strait is critical to Australia's health security. On the Australian side, almost 95 per cent of the eligible population on the outer islands of Saibai, Boigu and Dauan have received their first dose of vaccines. With Australia's support, Western Province is currently PNG's third-best-performing province for vaccine delivery, a remarkable achievement given its geography. The government remains absolutely focused on protecting Australians from COVID-19 at every level—globally, regionally, domestically and on our borders. (Time expired)

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

Senator Abetz, a supplementary question?

Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the minister for that interesting answer. Can the minister outline the government's efforts to provide vaccines to our neighbours and how this supports regional health security?

Zed Seselja (ACT, Liberal Party, Minister for International Development and the Pacific) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Our Prime Minister recently said that helping to vaccinate the Pacific is both a moral necessity and an economic necessity, and indeed it is. That's why we've committed more than $750 million to supporting vaccine access for our region. We're delivering it through four pathways. There's $130 million for the COVAX Facility, which has already distributed over 15 million doses to South-East Asia and the Pacific. There's $523 million to help countries in the Pacific and South-East Asia access and roll out vaccines. There's $100 million under the Quad Vaccine Partnership, focusing on last-mile delivery. Finally, and most directly, from Australia's own supply, we will share at least 20 million doses in our region. We've already delivered almost 360,000 doses, including 250,000 to Fiji, 70,000 to Timor-Leste, almost 19,000 to PNG, 13,000 to the Solomon Islands and 7,000 to Tuvalu. Australia is leading the delivery of vaccines across the Pacific for the health security and prosperity of Australia and that of our region. (Time expired)

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

Senator Abetz, a final supplementary question?

Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Can the minister update the Senate on how the government is otherwise supporting economic stability and resilience in our region?

Zed Seselja (ACT, Liberal Party, Minister for International Development and the Pacific) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

( COVID-19 poses extraordinary economic risks to our region. To support regional stability, including our own, the Australian government is stepping up our economic response. Across the Pacific, we are delivering over $300 million in grant funding to support economic recovery. Nearly $200 million of this has already been delivered. In Fiji we are bolstering social protection schemes for the most vulnerable. In Timor-Leste we're building water systems, roads, bridges, health clinics and schools. Our work has also enabled the restart of the Pacific Labour Scheme to help Australian farmers and Pacific economies. Nearly 8,000 Pacific workers have arrived in Australia since September 2020. Our loan financing is taking effect, too. Just last week, we signed financing agreements with the Solomon Islands government for the Tina River transmission system. Our support, worth approximately $60 million in total, will help deliver renewable energy to Honiara. This is vital work that is supporting our region's and our nation's economic recovery.