❓ Ms. Mettam (Liberal) questions the Premier about the health advice used to extend Pfizer vaccine eligibility to younger age groups. The Premier defends the decision, citing slow national rollout and accusing the opposition of hindering vaccination efforts.
AnsweredQoN 241Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
CORONAVIRUS — VACCINATIONS
241. Ms L. METTAM to the Premier:
I
refer to today's new advice that 50 to 59-year-olds should now receive
the Pfizer vaccine rather than the AstraZeneca vaccine. Will the Premier
table the health advice considered in making his decision to extend eligibility
of the Pfizer vaccine to the 30 to 39-year-old cohort?
241. Ms L. METTAM to the Premier:
I
refer to today's new advice that 50 to 59-year-olds should now receive
the Pfizer vaccine rather than the AstraZeneca vaccine. Will the Premier
table the health advice considered in making his decision to extend eligibility
of the Pfizer vaccine to the 30 to 39-year-old cohort?
AnswerView source ↗
I
will just explain what has occurred. Obviously, this government wants to get Western
Australians vaccinated. We are very keen to roll out the vaccine and get more Western
Australians vaccinated. We made the decision three or so weeks ago to
ensure that we rolled out the Pfizer vaccine more broadly and just get people
vaccinated. Other governments around
Australia have done the same. In fact, the Northern Territory has extended it
to 16-year-olds and above. South Australia
has extended the availability of the Pfizer vaccine to everyone living in
regional communities over the age of 16. Different states have done
different things in order to get more people vaccinated; that is the key point
here. We received advice from the Department of Health that we should extend
the vaccine rollout to those people aged 30 to 50 years. In accordance with
national guidelines, they should be able to access the Pfizer vaccine. That is
what has occurred. It seems to me from the criticism that I am hearing from the
Liberal Party and the Nationals WA that they do not want people vaccinated.
They are actually saying, ''Don't vaccinate people'',
whereas our view is that we should be vaccinating people. What we did, by way
of the announcement we made a few weeks ago,
was to kickstart vaccinations. The biggest story in Australia—I do not
know whether members h ave noticed—over the course of the last
four months or so has been the slow rollout of vaccines. America now has 60 per cent or thereabouts of its population
vaccinated. Britain and countries in Europe are the same. They are getting people vaccinated, whereas in Australia we have had a slow rollout. If we want
to get back to international travel at some point in the future and a greater
sense of normality in Australia, we have to get people vaccinated. Our view is
that we want to get Western Australians vaccinated. What is clear is that the
Liberals and Nationals do not.
will just explain what has occurred. Obviously, this government wants to get Western
Australians vaccinated. We are very keen to roll out the vaccine and get more Western
Australians vaccinated. We made the decision three or so weeks ago to
ensure that we rolled out the Pfizer vaccine more broadly and just get people
vaccinated. Other governments around
Australia have done the same. In fact, the Northern Territory has extended it
to 16-year-olds and above. South Australia
has extended the availability of the Pfizer vaccine to everyone living in
regional communities over the age of 16. Different states have done
different things in order to get more people vaccinated; that is the key point
here. We received advice from the Department of Health that we should extend
the vaccine rollout to those people aged 30 to 50 years. In accordance with
national guidelines, they should be able to access the Pfizer vaccine. That is
what has occurred. It seems to me from the criticism that I am hearing from the
Liberal Party and the Nationals WA that they do not want people vaccinated.
They are actually saying, ''Don't vaccinate people'',
whereas our view is that we should be vaccinating people. What we did, by way
of the announcement we made a few weeks ago,
was to kickstart vaccinations. The biggest story in Australia—I do not
know whether members h ave noticed—over the course of the last
four months or so has been the slow rollout of vaccines. America now has 60 per cent or thereabouts of its population
vaccinated. Britain and countries in Europe are the same. They are getting people vaccinated, whereas in Australia we have had a slow rollout. If we want
to get back to international travel at some point in the future and a greater
sense of normality in Australia, we have to get people vaccinated. Our view is
that we want to get Western Australians vaccinated. What is clear is that the
Liberals and Nationals do not.
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