Kevin Rudd hits back after Pfizer statement appears to contradict claims he helped source more vaccine

Kevin Rudd has hit back after a statement from Pfizer appeared to contradict suggestions he helped secure more vaccines for Australia.

Kevin Rudd has hit back after a statement from Pfizer appeared to contradict suggestions he helped secure more vaccines for Australia.

The former PM said public statements by Pfizer today were “entirely consistent” with his letter to Scott Morrison on June 30.

In the letter, which was leaked to media on Sunday, Mr Rudd informed the Prime Minister of a conversation with Pfizer boss Dr Albert Bourla earlier that day.

Reports emerged on Sunday night that Mr Rudd had swooped in for a Zoom call with Dr Bourla to discuss Australia receiving 40 million vaccines last month.

Mr Rudd had made it clear to Mr Morrison in the letter that he was doing so as a “concerned citizen” and not acting on the government’s behalf.

In a report published by the ABC, it suggested the extra doses had been due to Mr Rudd’s conversation with Dr Bourla.

Former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd. Picture: Gary Ramage/NCA NewsWire

But a Pfizer spokeswoman today knocked back any suggestion that the former Labor leader was involved in the agreement.

“Recent media reports suggesting that any third party or individual has had any role in contractual agreements reached between Pfizer and the Australian government are inaccurate,” she said.

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

“All agreements and supply arrangements, including dose planning are exclusively made with the federal government, and details of the agreement and discussions are confidential. All discussions on supply and procurement with the federal government are led by Pfizer representatives in Australia.”

Mr Rudd says Pfizer’s statement is consistent with his letter. Picture: Gary Ramage/NCA NewsWire

In a statement on Monday afternoon, Mr Rudd said he had sought the meeting “at the urging of senior Australian business leaders, who were deeply concerned by the government’s failure to lobby Pfizer at its most senior levels as many other world leaders have over recent months”.

“As the letter records, Mr Rudd spoke with Dr Bourla in a personal capacity as a concerned private citizen – not as a representative of the federal government,” the statement said.

“Mr Rudd’s letter is entirely consistent with public statements by Pfizer.”

Here’s a statement from my office responding to media enquiries. pic.twitter.com/xsUWIHohM0

— Kevin Rudd (@MrKRudd) July 12, 2021

He added, “Mr Rudd would definitely not seek to associate himself with the Australian government’s comprehensively botched vaccine procurement program.”

The Morrison government has been criticised for the country’s slow vaccine rollout.

Australia’s initial contract with Pfizer was for 10 million jabs, signed in November 2020, this was until last week when the PM announced there would now be 40 million administered by the end of the year.

Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt. Picture: Andrew Henshaw/NCA NewsWire

A spokesman for Health Minister Greg Hunt told The Australian there was no evidence Mr Rudd’s meeting influenced the decision for the pharmaceutical giant to send more vaccines down under.

“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.”

In the letter sent from Mr Rudd to Mr Morrison, the former Labor leader said the Pfizer boss would personally investigate Australia’s vaccine situation.

Mr Rudd also wrote about “the possibility of Australia perhaps seeking a large-scale advance order of Pfizer’s 2022 vaccine ‘booster’.”

Sydney is struggling with low vaccination rates. Picture: Bianca De Marchi/NCA NewsWire

Kevin Rudd’s letter to Scott Morrison. Picture: Twitter

“Dr Bourla indicated that they had limited flexibility because of their existing supply obligations around the world,” the letter read.

“Nonetheless, he also indicated that a number of their manufacturing facilities were producing ahead of schedule. In response to my representations, Dr Bourla said he would personally look at what further might be able to be done. I thanked Dr Bourla for that.”

It also discussed how the vaccine rollout had been slowed by “political pressures” and intellectual property regulations.

The ABC reports senior business figures based in the US had discussed speaking with Pfizer to see if they could help Australia get larger supplies of the vaccine.

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

The conversation reportedly came about due to reports Australia had bungled its negotiations with Pfizer.

A prolific social media user, Mr Rudd had not commented on the reports until his statement on Monday afternoon.

However on the day he sent the letter to the PM he blasted him online.

“While the world opens up, Morrison’s failure on vaccines and failure on quarantine have locked us down,” he wrote. “The world sees Australia as a country whose leaders have inexplicably let them down.”

Mr Rudd’s former political opponent and new-found friend, former PM Malcolm Turnbull, took to social media this morning.

“Thank you Mr Kevin Rudd for speaking to the Chairman of Pfizer to secure an earlier delivery of vaccines,” he wrote.

“Staggered the vaccination of Australians was apparently not important enough to warrant a call from Scott Morrison or Greg Hunt to the Pfizer boss.”