Television interview with Minister Butler and Sophie Walsh and Clint Stanaway, Weekend Today - 10 November 2024

SOPHIE WALSH, HOST: Well, it's the leading cause of childhood hospitalisation in Australia, with 12,000 babies admitted each winter with RSV. But a world leading immunisation approach could see those numbers drop dramatically next year.
 
CLINT STANAWAY, HOST: This new initiative, announced this morning by the Albanese Government, will actually provide free nationwide access for a vaccine for pregnant women and newborn babies, as well. For more on this, we're joined by the Health Minister Mark Butler, live in Adelaide. Minister, great to see you. Thanks for your time.
 
Before we get to this exciting announcement, a new report this morning is alleging 30 serious crimes, including sexual assault, have been lodged with Parliament's new Support Service in the first nine months. Is Parliament House, from what you've seen, what you've experienced, a safe place to work?
 
MINISTER FOR HEALTH AND AGED CARE, MARK BUTLER: These reports are really deeply concerning, and very distressing for the people having to make these reports: being put in that really difficult position – unacceptable position, frankly. And I think what they confirm is that Parliament still has a long way to go. You know, we've responded to the Set The Standard Report a few years ago and put in place these structures that give people an avenue to make these official complaints. But we've got to do better: this is the nation's Parliament. And clearly, it's still an unsafe place to work, for too many people.
 
WALSH: Here's hoping it is a culture that is changing. Moving on, Minister, how effective are these vaccines in protecting against RSV?
 
BUTLER: This is a terrific day for mums and for babies. As you said in your intro, this is the leading cause of hospitalisation for babies, particularly under the age of six months. And a quarter of them end up in intensive care units, or ICUs. We think this vaccine programme will drop hospitalisations by up to 90% - a huge win for mums and for babies and for taking pressure off the hospital system, as well. So from the months leading into next winter, all pregnant mums will be able to get access to this vaccine, free of charge. They'd otherwise have been paying $300. And it will make a big impact on the health of our babies.
 
STANAWAY: Minister, what have you already seen in Western Australia and Queensland, where this has already been rolled out?
 
BUTLER: That's right: we've got some trials through Western Australia and Queensland. A huge reduction in hospitalisation in those two states, while other states still bore a very big impact in their babies and mums populations. A big impact on their hospital systems through the winter – that's gone as well. So now what we'll be able to do is put in place, what we understand to be, the most comprehensive RSV vaccine programme in the world. There will be vaccines available for mums to take in their third trimester – probably at about the same time they take the whooping cough vaccination that has proved so effective for newborn babies, as well. And if they don't do that, there'll also be a fail safe treatment that babies will be able to receive, after they're born, and that will be administered by state governments. No other country on the planet has a protection regime that is so comprehensive for our babies.
 
WALSH: Minister, as you mentioned, there are two different kinds of immunisations you're announcing today: one for pregnant women, one for infants. What's the difference between them? Is one more effective than the other?
 
BUTLER: They're both highly effective. And really it will be up to families to choose. We expect that as many as 80% of women will take up the first vaccine option, as they do for whooping cough. It's a pretty simple injection. The antibodies that the mum builds up flow through the placenta into the foetus, so those antibodies are there for the first several months of the baby's life, just as they are for whooping cough as well. But if a mum chooses not to take up that vaccine option, then when the baby is born, the baby will be able to receive another injection along with a whole bunch of other injections babies receive in their thigh, which will give them several months of protection against RSV as well. Because we know that first six months is the really dangerous period.
 
WALSH: Really good news for parents and parents-to-be, this morning. Minister, thank you so much for your time.
 
STANAWAY: Good on you, Mark, thank you.