PM under fire as Turnbull, Rudd meddle in vaccine rollout

Pfizer executives have rubbished a suggestion by Kevin Rudd that he lobbied the drug company to speed up its delivery of vaccine jabs to Australia.

Pfizer executives have rubbished a suggestion by former prime minister Kevin Rudd that he personally intervened to get the drug company to speed up its delivery of vaccine jabs to Australia.

Coming on the heels of Mr Rudd’s claims that he personally pitched to Pfizer’s chairman, the company issued a statement saying “recent media reports that any third party or individual had any role in contractual agreements reached between Pfizer and the Australian government are inaccurate.”

“The only two parties involved in these agreements are Pfizer and the Australian government,” it continued.

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

Earlier media reports had suggested that Mr Rudd, at the behest of business leaders alarmed by the slow rollout of Australia’s vaccine program, had intervened with the chairman of Pfizer to bring forward doses.

The reports had prompted another former prime minister, Malcolm Turnbull, to tweet that he was “staggered” Scott Morrison hadn’t gone straight to the top of the company earlier.

Mr Turnbull tweeted his thanks on Monday to his fellow former PM for “speaking to the chairman of Pfizer to secure an earlier delivery of vaccines”.

In his tweet, Mr Turnbull said he was “staggered the vaccination of Australians was apparently not important enough to warrant a call from Scott Morrison.”

Reports emerged on Sunday that Mr Rudd had met with Pfizer boss Dr Albert Bourla and lobbied him in “a private capacity” to accelerate the delivery of 40 million Covid-19 vaccines to Australia.

Health Minister Greg Hunt had disputed whether Mr Rudd’s discussions had an impact on delivery schedules, The Australian reports.

Former PMs Kevin Rudd and Malcolm Turnbull. Picture: AAP

Earlier, it emerged the PM has suffered a 10-point slide in his approval rating amid the nation’s botched vaccine rollout.

An analysis of Newspoll surveys conducted between April 21 and June 26 reveals Mr Morrison’s net approval rating has been pulled down by nearly 10 points from 27 per cent to 18 per cent, The Australian has reported.

Women and resource-state voters have turned away as the election contest is reshaped by pandemic politics, the management of Australia’s economic recovery and future vaccine supply, The Australian has said.

The poll puts the Coalition and Labor on an even electoral footing, with Greens preferences pushing the ALP to a 51-49 per cent lead despite the party lagging the government on primary support by 36-41 per cent.

Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese has not escaped unscathed, with his net approval rating dropping a further three points into negative territory at -6 per cent.

Despite the women problem facing the Coalition, Mr Morrison still enjoys a lead of 27 points over Anthony Albanese as the preferred leader of female voters, The Australian reported.

NSW has emerged as the key battleground, with the parties tied 50-50 after preferences.

The Coalition also faces the risk of extended lockdowns fuelling a voter backlash in key seats it must win along the NSW south coast, The Australian reported.