A major audit has found the Morrison government left plans for the vaccine rollout until too late and did not co-ordinate properly with state governments
until too late, underestimating the challenges of protecting aged and disability care residents and bungling co-ordination with state governments, a major review has found.
More than $8 billion has been spent on vaccine supplies, and more than 42.6 million doses were delivered in 2021 alone. Australia’s vaccination rates have led the world, with the rollout described as one of the largest exercise in health logistics in history. The audit found the vaccine rollout to residential aged care and residential disability settings was slower than planned, andfor Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australia remains well below the general population. Health’s advertising campaign has not yet been evaluated, despite strong criticism over its content and style.
The report says officials underestimated the magnitude and complexity of providing on-site vaccination services at aged care homes, and “did not engage sufficient in-reach providers early in the rollout”.were originally scheduled to be fully vaccinated by April last year. The delays and logistical challenges meant it wasn’t until June last year that second-dose vaccine clinics for aged care residents were completed.
It was revealed late last year that Pfizer sought meetings with then health minister Greg Hunt to discuss supply of vaccines as early as June 2020, hoping to open talks with the Morrison government as countries including the US and UK signed major deals.No one from Mr Hunt’s office met with the company until August. It emerged this week Mr Morrison secretly held ministerial authority in the health portfolio from March 2020.
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