Pfizer vaccine Australia: Kevin Rudd denies leaking Covid-19 letter

The Kevin Rudd, Pfizer, Australian Government saga rolls on with the former PM denying he leaked the now infamous letter to the ABC.

Former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd said he did not leak a letter detailing his conversations with a boss of Pfizer which centred around the supply of increasing Australia’s Covid-19 vaccinations.

In tit-for-tat correspondence, yesterday the government and the former PM were at odds after the ABC published a report that claimed Mr Rudd, and a series of high-profile businessmen helped secure more vaccines.

Last week the government announced Australia would be receiving 40 million Pfizer vaccines, rather than 10 million which was originally agreed to in 2020.

Former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd said he did not leak the letter. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gary Ramage

The letter Rudd sent to the PM after his discussions with a Pfizer exec. Picture: Supplied

Mr Rudd said he spoke to global Pfizer boss Dr Albert Bourla as a concerned citizen in June. Pfizer yesterday released a statement saying the “contractual agreements” were only discussed between the pharmaceutical company and the Australian government.

Mr Rudd said this statement was “entirely consistent” with his story.

Thank you @MrKRudd for speaking to the Chairman of Pfizer to secure an earlier delivery of vaccines. Staggered the vaccination of Australians was apparently not important enough to warrant a call from @ScottMorrisonMP or @GregHuntMP to the Pfizer boss.

— Malcolm Turnbull (@TurnbullMalcolm) July 11, 2021

On Tuesday morning, Mr Rudd said he did not leak the letter.

“I was approached by the ABC, then confirmed to the ABC the content of my dealings with the Prime Minister on this matter,” he told the ABC.

“I go back to the basic point here. That both what Pfizer has said publicly, and what Mr Hunt apparently is now saying is that, I had no role in the contractual negotiations with Pfizer. That is absolutely right.”

Mr Rudd would not answer whether he regretted the leak when asked by ABC RN Breakfast host Fran Kelly.

“The bottom line is, that rather than the government thinking that they’re presiding over some huge policy success here … everyone would agree with Malcolm Turnbull as (the rollout) is a massive public policy failure,” he said.

The ABC’s Laura Tingle originally published the story.

Mr Turnbull was quick to offer his support of Mr Rudd on Twitter.

He also tweeted the story, published by ABC’s Laura Tingle who The Australian reported Mr Turnbull invited over for lunch at his Point Piper mansion in April.

A spokesman for Health Minister Greg Hunt said there was no evidence Mr Rudd’s meeting influenced the decision for the pharmaceutical giant to send more vaccines down under after the story emerged on Sunday evening.

“The Minister has met with Pfizer Australia country head Anne Harris on multiple occasions with a view to the announcement Friday on the time frame achieved and at the level we had hoped for, which was the maximum Pfizer had indicated might be available,” he said.

“While we were made aware of Mr Rudd’s approach, we are not aware this approach had any impact on the outcome.”

Originally published as Pfizer vaccine Australia: Kevin Rudd denies leaking Covid-19 letter