Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Finance) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is for the Minister representing the Minister for Health and Aged Care, Senator Colbeck. Today 344 new cases have been reported in New South Wales, with 62 people currently in ICU and, tragically, 34 total deaths from COVID-19 during the current outbreak. The Prime Minister has said that COVID will be 'like the flu' and that we should 'treat it like the flu'. Does Mr Morrison stand by this statement?

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

[by video link] Senator Gallagher and members of the Labor Party have a very unfortunate habit of misrepresenting what people say in the chamber. In the future, with a full vaccination program and other measures to appropriately manage the COVID-19 pandemic, it may very well be that we get to the stage where we are able to live with COVID-19 in that way. But I don't believe that we should be verballed by misrepresentations from the Labor Party with respect to their questions in this place.

We have, all through this pandemic, worked to ensure the safety of Australians. We set in place a plan very early to support Australians. We closed the borders early. We set in place plans to protect Australians. We've put in place a vaccination program that continues to roll out and grow at pace. We will continue to do that, but we won't put up with negative misrepresentations and undermining of the protection of Australians by the Labor party. We will continue to work in the Australian community's interests. We know, because Mr Albanese said, that he's only interested in fighting the government. Well, we're fighting the virus. That's what we will continue to do. We will continue to work in support of the Australian people against the pandemic. The Labor Party can fight whoever they please, but our focus is the Australian people.

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

Senator Gallagher, supplementary question?

Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Finance) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

We have the quote from the Prime Minister, so we reject the assertion that it's misrepresentation. My supplementary is: What health advice is Mr Morrison relying on when he says that COVID will be 'like the flu' and that we should 'treat it like the flu'?

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

Again, my view is that Mr Morrison's comments are being misrepresented by the Labor Party, as so many comments by members of the government are misrepresented by the Labor Party, who, as I said, are only interested in fighting us—

Opposition Senators:

Opposition senators interjecting—

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

Order! I have Senator Gallagher on point of order.

Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Finance) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Point of order is on direct relevance. The question was around what health advice has informed the comments, not the comments themselves.

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

I can't instruct the minister as to how he must address a question. The minister is in order, because he is challenging the premise of the question. That can be debated after question time, but I don't believe he's not being relevant by addressing it in this fashion. Senator Colbeck.

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

I do believe that the Prime Minister's comments are being taken out of context deliberately by the Labor Party, which they so often do—

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

Senator Wong, on a point of order?

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, it is not directly relevant, in my submission, to simply continue to cast aspersions on motivations. I accept in this place there is robust debate and what I think you describe as 'glancing references'. Senator Gallagher has asked a question about the health advice grounding the Prime Minister's statement made on 2 July. If the minister were to return to that, I think that would be consistent with the standing orders.

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

I've allowed you to restate the question; however, in my view, I don't believe the minister is assigning a motive. He's making a claim about a quote being misrepresented. I don't believe that goes as far as impugning the motive of another senator. It can be a disagreement about its context or its meaning. The minister is entitled to address that, in my view, because there was a specific quotation. Otherwise, I would be called into instructing ministers as to how to answer questions, which is not appropriate. Senator Colbeck.

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

I do not accept the premise of the question. And taking a quote out of context and then applying a request for health advice to something clearly taken out of context, quite frankly, is a continuation of the dishonesty of the Labor Party in this whole debate. So I will reject the premise of the question and completely reject the assertion by the opposition in the context of the comments that are being applied.

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

Senator Gallagher, a final supplementary question?

Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Finance) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Morrison has declared COVID would be like the flu, failed to ensure sufficient vaccine supplies and argued against lockdowns. Will he now take responsibility for the disaster unfolding in Sydney?

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

I thank Senator Gallagher for the question. The Prime Minister continues to provide strong leadership to this nation in the management of the COVID-19 pandemic. Whether that be from the early circumstance of closing the borders, whether that be from developing the national plan for COVID, whether that be seeking the advice from the Doherty institute for a plan out of lockdowns—

Senator O'Neill interjecting—

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

Senator O'Neill, order! If I ask senators to come to order, I'm going to go back to my rule to ask them to count to 10 slowly before they start breaking the rules again. I appreciate there are strong passions on this matter. Senator Colbeck.

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

We will continue to provide strong leadership as a government as we manage the pandemic, and we won't accept the relentless negativity of the Labor Party as they seek to fight us rather than help us fight the pandemic.

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

I ask that further questions be placed on the Notice Paper.