MICHAEL ROWLAND:
We're joined from Canberra now by the Coordinator of the National COVID Vaccine Taskforce, Lieutenant General John Frewen. General Frewen, good morning to you and thanks for joining us.
JOHN FREWEN:
Morning.
MICHAEL ROWLAND:
I just want to clarify the timelines here based on the reports and the modelling. What exactly are the targets? We've talked about November, December. Can you take us through what the best-case scenario is for us reaching both 70 and 80 per cent?
JOHN FREWEN:
Yeah. Sure. So, we're, we're still seeking to have the opportunity for every person in Australia who wants to have a vaccine to be able to do so this year. But if all goes well, we've got the supply coming, we've got the distribution nodes set up; if people keep coming forward then we would hope to get very high levels of vaccination achieved by the end of this year.
MICHAEL ROWLAND:
So, when you say, when you say all those wanting a vaccination, are we talking one dose or two doses by the end of the year based on the modelling?
JOHN FREWEN:
Yeah. Well, we certainly- I'm very confident that everyone who wants a first dose will be able to get a dose. But with the supply that we have, and the distribution network that we're setting up if people in Australia keep coming forward for vaccination as they are, then I think we can get a good portion of the population fully vaccinated this year.
MICHAEL ROWLAND:
Okay. And based on that optimistic scenario would that be 80 per cent fully vaccinated by the end of the year?
JOHN FREWEN:
Look, I'm not going to tie myself to particular numbers because it really is about the willingness of the public to get vaccinated, but I think we've got a really good opportunity to get to 70 per cent this year. But as we've seen from international experience, getting above 70 per cent does require concerted effort. So we- we'll work hard to get to 70 per cent this year and if we can get further than that, that will be great.
MICHAEL ROWLAND:
Okay. We have mentioned workplace vaccinations as does the document. How is that going to play out? We know at least a couple of the major banks are about to bring in vaccination programs for frontline workers. How much more will we see on that front?
JOHN FREWEN:
Yeah. So, we're looking to, to bring in every possible place of vaccination that we can. You know, the GPs have been doing great work; we've got the pharmacies coming into play now; the state hubs have been very busy. We've been engaged in industry over the last few weeks. I've run a couple of activities now with a whole range of industry sectors. And as you've said, I'm pleased, you know, led by the CBA, the CBA and Westpac now will do a workplace vaccination trial with AstraZeneca. But there are a number of industry sectors now who are making preparations. So as soon as we've got the mRNA vaccines available as well, then they will get in workplace vaccination, probably in September at some stage, maybe late September but definitely early October.
MICHAEL ROWLAND:
Okay. Now, drive-throughs by mid-September. Talk us through that.
JOHN FREWEN:
Yeah, well, that's, that's another option. So, we've looked at all, all of the options - drive-throughs is one potential option. The plan that we've released yesterday also talks about pop-up hubs. What I'd really like to see, as we get later into the year, is the maximum convenience available for people in Australia to get vaccinated. So, we are intending to keep looking at all of these sort of alternatives and then getting arrangements in place to get them going. But of course, the jurisdictions will decide what they think is best for them and then we'll work with the states and territories to facilitate that.
MICHAEL ROWLAND:
There's reference in the document to further ad campaigns. When will we see those? Will we see those? And what demographic will they target in particular?
JOHN FREWEN:
Yeah. So look, the campaign will evolve through the course of the year. We've started to stress through Arm Yourself the importance for individuals to get vaccinated and the importance of them encouraging their friends and families to get vaccinated. You know, as with go through the year, we'll start to rally the nation a bit more to getting this done as a nation, because it really is an important underpinning of our national resilience to COVID going forward.
We'll also will be start looking more specifically on issues around hesitancy and how with might be able to convince those people who at the moment aren't sure about getting vaccinated. Some of the groups will need specific campaigns, so we'll look at that. But then ultimately, the biggest incentive in all of this is getting back to those things that we really enjoy like international travel, and being able to sort of work without lockdowns and the like, Michael.
MICHAEL ROWLAND:
Yeah. That should be an incentive for a lot of people. While you're here, I've got to ask you about this report in The Saturday Paper by journalist Rick Morton at the weekend. He said in National Cabinet meeting last week, you launched what was described as a ‘savage broadside’ against New South Wales Premier Gladys Berejiklian when she asked for more vaccine doses to be transferred from GP clinics to elected- to some of those local government areas. Did that happen?
JOHN FREWEN:
Michael, we don't talk about what happens in Cabinet, but that's not my style. We have, we have firm discussions around options, but that didn't happen as described.
MICHAEL ROWLAND:
So, you didn't get cranky with her at all?
JOHN FREWEN:
It's not my place to be cranky. It's my place to get the vaccine rollout done, Michael.
MICHAEL ROWLAND:
Okay. And finally, I found myself watching Question Time yesterday - don't judge me, I was pretty bored, but I turned it on. Your name was thrown around between the Prime Minister and the Opposition leader. The Prime Minister claimed Anthony Albanese cancelled a scheduled meeting with you yesterday. Did that happen?
JOHN FREWEN:
I, I was due to brief Mr Albanese yesterday, and that meeting was rescheduled to Thursday. It's a normal part of tough scheduling weeks, Michael.
MICHAEL ROWLAND:
Right. Okay. So, Mr Albanese says Thursday was the first opportunity he had to sit down with you, as in tomorrow.
JOHN FREWEN:
Yeah. Well, I mean I, I initially had a booking for Monday and it was moved to Thursday. That to me is pretty routine, routine business.
MICHAEL ROWLAND:
Okay. General Frewen, thank you so much for joining us this morning.
JOHN FREWEN:
Thanks, Michael.
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