Business leaders volunteer Bunnings, Officeworks and more as Covid-19 vaccine sites

Australians normally queuing for a sausage sizzle at Bunnings may soon be lining up for a Covid-19 vaccine instead.

Australians normally queuing for a sausage sizzle at Bunnings may soon be lining up for a Covid-19 vaccine at their local hardware store or even Officeworks, as businesses volunteer to help speed up the rollout.

Lt Gen John Frewen and Treasurer Josh Frydenberg met with major Australian business leaders on Wednesday, where they discussed creating more places for people to access a vaccine, as well as significant incentives for people to get the jab.

Treasurer Josh Frydenberg said business leaders brought a lot of ideas to the table to help the vaccine rollout. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

“There were many offers of premises for vaccinations being rolled out,” Mr Frydenberg said.

“Including from Wesfarmers. That raised the opportunities that could be provided at the local Bunnings or Officeworks.

“There were extensive discussions about a whole range of issues.”

Chief executive officers of Coles, Commonwealth Bank, Telstra, Virgin and Qantas were among those who took part in the talks, bringing what Mr Frydenberg described as a range of “exciting and interesting” ideas to the table.

Australians may be able to get a Covid-19 vaccine at their local Bunnings store by the end of the year.

Mr Frydenberg said Qantas chief executive Alan Joyce had suggested the company reach out to its 13 million frequent flyers to encourage them to be vaccinated, as well as its 20,000 workers.

He said representatives from the Minerals Council of Australia had volunteered to use their connections with Indigenous communities in remote parts of the country to ensure they were able to access vaccination.

Lt Gen Frewen said GPs, Commonwealth and state vaccination hubs would remain the “backbone” of the rollout but, in the later months of October to December when more supply was available, “additional options” like workplace vaccination would be important.

“It will be really important for people to have a more diverse range of ways to access the vaccine,” he said.

“It will give us greater flexibility, it will give us greater choice and it will give us greater convenience.”

Lt Gen John Frewen said at the moment the main incentive to get the Covid-19 vaccine was it’s the ‘right thing’ to do’. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

Lt Gen Frewen said in the future if people were not signing up to the vaccine then “incentives” would be considered, an option he discussed with the business leaders.

“Right now the key message is vaccination is the right thing to do and people should be getting out and getting vaccinated,” he said.

“Industry has committed to supporting us in that messaging but we will look at a range of incentives … but again I think that’s for a time later in the year when we get beyond the immediate.”

Mr Frydenberg said he expected any incentive would be “more” than just a Bunnings sausage.