In an often heated estimates hearing, Aged Care Services Minister Richard Colbeck could not say if the government was responsible for the vaccine rollout in aged care. auspol vaccine covid19 MelbourneLockdown
More than three months into the vaccine rollout the Department of Health has admitted it does not know how many aged care workers have been vaccinated, as the Aged Care Minister refused to say whether the government was responsible for its own aged care immunisation program.
Department of Health officials said that was a minimum figure, as the data only counted workers who were vaccinated alongside aged care residents in facilities. Staff can also get vaccinated through GP clinics, state-run hospital hubs and the special three pop-up clinics in NSW. In an often heated hearing, Labor senators attacked Aged Care Services Minister Richard Colbeck for failing to take responsibility for the delayed rollout, including to the critical aged care workers.“It is not about pitting the states against the Commonwealth in this circumstance, we are cooperatively working on this together,” he said.”Just tell me, are you responsible, yes or no?” she said.But in question time on Tuesday afternoon, Prime Minister Scott Morrison was more clear cut.
Those aged care providers are being surveyed in order to gather the data, through a portal that will go live on Friday.Opposition leader Anthony Albanese said the government had more than a year to prepare for the vaccine rollout.