Mr HUNT (Flinders—Minister for Health and Aged Care) (15:28): I'm pleased to respond on behalf of the government. Firstly, I acknowledge that for Victorians this is a difficult day. They have been through the challenges which followed the Victorian second wave. My family, other families, residents, constituents, friends—all Victorians—we all lived with and witnessed those challenges which followed that second wave. The sources are well-known and well-understood. Again, Victorians are having a difficult time and I express my deep and profound support for them. Our support as a government is strong and clear. We have provided an additional 130,000 vaccines on top of the 666,000 which have been provided to the state, of which 398,000 have been administered. We have ensured, as I mentioned in question time, that the hotspot definition has been triggered by the Chief Medical Officer, which then leads to payments in aged care and leads to asymptomatic testing being made available through the Commonwealth GP respiratory clinics. We have stood up the Victorian Aged Care Response Centre. We have offered contact tracing support through the national incident centre. We realise that these are deeply regrettable decisions that have been taken today in Victoria, but, given the particular circumstances in that state—in our state, in my state—they are nevertheless necessary. Having said that, the context for all of this is a world in which the global pandemic has seen more cases this year already than last year. In the last 24 hours, there have been 557,000 cases and 12,000 lives lost. We're not immune in that circumstance, but we have been remarkably protected to date—94 days without community transmission in Australia. The thing which has prevented that, the thing which has exclusively prevented that occurring, has been the border protection. The other measures then stop the spread of community transmission once it occurs. But what has prevented it is the quarantine system in Australia, arguably the most effective quarantine system in the world. It's the first line of defence, not the last. It's the first of many rings of containment. We have seen a new position adopted today, I would say, by the opposition—a presumption that a state can be immune from the virus. That is not an accurate position. Every country is at risk wherever it deals with other countries. Perhaps the most easily understood case in point is the New Zealand airport worker who was twice vaccinated, was wearing full PPE and acted with all the appropriate behaviours and protocols and nevertheless contracted the virus. What that shows is that the virus is by its nature an almost uniquely contagious virus, as we see in a pandemic. That is what has led to the global pandemic. There's a global pandemic, but in Australia we've been in a vastly different position. Nevertheless, having said that, every day we fight to make sure that we are protecting Australians. In terms of quarantine, we put in place a system which I think almost any other country in the world would embrace, but every day we push for it to be stronger. That's why we had the Halton review. That's why we've endorsed the measures that have been put in place. I would note in particular, in response to the shadow minister's comments, that the Prime Minister and I met with the president and the deputy president of the AMA. The deputy president of the AMA may well be known to the shadow minister—Dr Chris Moy, an esteemed Australian GP. He said, of the facility in South Australia, it's an outstanding facility, outstandingly run. There were no obvious breaches of protocols. Everything that could have been done, to his understanding, was done. But we recognise that, with a highly contagious disease, human interaction with those who come from overseas creates the possibility. What the opposition has been talking about are some very odd proposals—proposals to put Australians in remote areas, which would mean flying a workforce in and out; proposals which would mean that we would have to be transporting patients who are positive precisely— Mr Dreyfus interjecting— Mr HUNT: No, no— The DEPUTY SPEAKER ( Mr Llew O'Brien ): The member for Isaacs! Mr HUNT: The opposition has talked about remote facilities, which would mean transporting people who were diagnosed as positive, moving them right across the country, moving a workforce in and out—all things which both the Halton review and the Coates review spoke against. They recommended against the very things that the opposition are proposing. The opposition also imply that, all of a sudden, one system would be closed down and another could magically be created. In reality, what we have done is create a facility in Howard Springs—which Professor Murphy and I visited at the start of February last year to work with the community, to win their confidence—which has operated with 100 per cent effectiveness. I believe it's the only one, of the systems in the country, which has been Commonwealth run. But I would say that we have full confidence in all states and territories—full confidence. Those opposite, by their words, imply that they do not have confidence in the states and territories—we do—because, if they did have confidence, they would not be advocating the change that they are proposing, a change away from a system that has kept Australia in a vastly different position from almost any other country in the world. Having said that, let me turn to the rollout, because what we've seen now is Australians coming forward in record numbers—record numbers yesterday, record numbers again today. In recent weeks, we have had a record 402,000, then 436,000 and then 512,000 last week. And the indications, part-way through this week, are that we may be on track to well exceed that again. That's before the 12-week period for AstraZeneca leads to the second-dose program commencing, in line with medical advice. Those things will come together. Over the course of the year, as supply allows, then the rollout will continue. I would note in particular that, when we look to the states and territories, in Victoria we appreciate the 398,000 vaccines they've administered. Six hundred sixty-six thousand vaccines have been delivered to the Victorian government, and 398,000 have been administered. Interestingly and importantly, there will be another 71,000 Pfizer vaccines tomorrow, and there will be another 130,000 AstraZeneca vaccines over the coming weeks, including 20,000 extra today. All of these elements have been fundamental. We have now achieved 582 residential aged-care facilities, with another seven today, and the final nine due tomorrow, on the advice we have. I think it is an important protection. It's a fundamental difference between this and the previous outbreak in Victoria. We know that those vaccinations are very important and we urge all Australians to continue to come forward at the earliest possible time. If you are in an eligible group and you catch COVID, you could die. That is why the Prime Minister, myself, the Chief Medical Officer, Professor Brendan Murphy, the President of the AMA and people right around Australia are urging everybody who is eligible to come forward. We think that, if that message is loud and clear and strong, and Australians see other Australians being vaccinated, then they will continue to come forward in record numbers. Now that the supply has allowed large volumes to be available, we want everybody to come forward, to feel the confidence, to feel that they can make a difference, that this is their moment, that they can have a fundamental impact in not only protecting themselves and their family but protecting every Australian. It is one of those rare occasions where one can help protect all. That's a very noble cause. It's a practical cause but, above all else, it is a fundamental part of being within the community, of the community and for the community. Ultimately, I want to acknowledge that this pandemic, globally, has been agonising. We have seen death on an extraordinary human scale—12,900 people, officially, in one day alone. The World Health Organization is saying that the over 3.7 million people who have lost their lives represent between 50 per cent and one-third of the likely real total. To see that is to recognise a pandemic on a grand scale. Whilst we're not immune, Australia has pulled together and taken action in an extraordinary way. The steps that we've taken, we hope, have assisted, but I'm proud of— (Time expired)