Karen Grogan (SA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Health and Aged Care, Senator Colbeck. Mr Morrison's original transition plan, which was based on an outbreak of only 30 cases, estimates that 12,000 people will end up in hospital, including more than 2,700 in ICU and with over 1,400 dying. We've since seen more than 1,000 cases a day across the country. How many hospitalisations, ICU admissions and deaths does the Morrison-Joyce government now expect as states begin to open up?

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

I thank Senator Grogan for her question—her first question. The national plan is designed to provide protection and provide advice to governments—state, territory and Commonwealth—as to the parameters with which we can start to reopen the national economy. Once we've reached 70 per cent of the population fully vaccinated, which we have now, we can start to take some measures, and we've seen those things commencing in the states and territories.

The whole purpose of the national plan is to minimise the number of infections of the virus, and also, subsequent to that, hospitalisations and presentations at ICUs and, of course, to minimise the number of people who pass away. The whole objective is to minimise those numbers. That's the point of the plan, and that's why we continue to encourage Australians to access vaccines. We've reached 70 per cent of the population over 16 who are vaccinated. We encourage more Australians from every walk of life in every state and territory to go out and access the vaccine so that we can continue to do that, because the whole purpose of the exercise is to minimise the number of cases that we have in the community, and that, of course, minimises the number of Australians who may be hospitalised, who may be subjected to ICU or who, unfortunately, may pass away. We know that there will be COVID circulating in the community. The best way that Australians can protect themselves, their families and their communities is to get vaccinated. The more people who are vaccinated, the fewer the people who will be subjected to the virus, to hospitalisation and to ICU.

Slade Brockman (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Grogan, a supplementary question?

Karen Grogan (SA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Australian Medical Association has warned that the shortage of hospital beds, overcrowded emergency departments and longer waiting times were 'risking the lives of all Australians'. Why has the Morrison-Joyce government refused to act on the urgent calls for funding from all state and territory health ministers before it is too late?

Opposition senator s interjecting

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

I thank Senator Grogan for the question.

Opposition senator s interjecting

Slade Brockman (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Minister, please resume your seat. Order! The minister had not even commenced his answer when the interjections started. Interjections are always disorderly. Minister, you have the call.

Senator Ayres! I literally just ruled. Minister, you have the call.

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

It's a bit of a record. I once got to seven seconds before I was stopped, so to get it before I start is not doing too badly. All states and territories, as a part of their conversations with the Australian government, have indicated they have adequate capacity to meet demand, based on the Doherty modelling as supplemented by their own modelling. During COVID, the Australian government, along with the states and territories, has invested into the health system in excess of $6.6 billion just for COVID. That funding has been put in, particularly with respect to the state health systems, on a fifty-fifty basis. So $6.6 billion has been invested by the Australian government in support of the states and territories in fighting COVID. (Time expired)

Slade Brockman (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Grogan, a second supplementary question?

Karen Grogan (SA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

AMA president Dr Omar Khorshid has said:

… once COVID comes in, the only way we can look after people with COVID is to stop looking after all the other people that we're currently looking after …

Will the minister guarantee Australians will be safe?

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

The Australian government moved very early to put in place a number of measures to support the health system in the event of significant outbreaks of COVID, and there has been a continuation of measures that have been undertaken since then. One of the first things that we did to support the public health system was the private hospitals agreement, which allowed private hospitals to support the public health system in the case of a huge surge in numbers. Of course, as we vaccinate more Australians, as more Australians take up the opportunity to have a vaccination, we reduce the possibility of COVID transmitting through the community. It protects individuals from serious illness, hospitalisation and death. That's the point of the vaccination process. That is also factored into the Doherty modelling, which is dictating our opening up process. So all of this is carefully calculated and agreed with the states. (Time expired)