Report into vaccine procurement declines to criticise Scott Morrison

A review into a major Morrison government decision has come back with a surprise finding.

Criticism of the former government’s Covid-19 vaccine procurement was justified even though a major review declined to stick the boot into Scott Morrison, the Health Minister has said.

Mark Butler released the findings from Professor Jane Halton’s review on Tuesday, which found the previous government’s actions were “consistent” with other high income countries.

The report also recommends that Australia stock up on vaccines, orders from a wider range of sources, and is ready to roll them out quickly should a more dangerous variant emerge.

“The ability to quickly stand-up mass vaccination clinics should be retained in the event of an emergency or period of high demand,” the former Health Department secretary wrote in her report.

But the report, and Professor Halton, stopped short of doling out criticism of the Morrison government’s procurement program.

The government has been encouraged to buy up more Covid-19 vaccines. Picture Julianne Osborne

Mr Butler denied the report undermined Labor’s longstanding criticism from opposition about the vaccine rollout.

“Our criticism was that frankly, the former government had not acted quickly enough to secure (vaccine) deals,” he told reporters in Canberra.

When he commissioned the report in June, Mr Butler claimed the probe would not look at potential mistakes made by the Morrison government.

Professor Halton said the early procurement of Covid vaccines and treatments occurred in the context of global treatment shortages.

“Agreement to conditions not usually included in ordinary procurement contracts was necessary to secure commitments to supply,” she wrote.

Mr Butler denied the report undermined his criticism. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gary Ramage

Mr Butler backed her call for a “portfolio and redundancy approach” to the procurement of vaccines and other treatments, meaning higher levels of wastage would need to be accepted.

The release of the report comes after the federal Health Department disclosed how many Covid vaccines the Commonwealth has wasted.

Australia has thrown out more than 28,000,000 unused shots, accounting for more than 17 per cent or nearly 1 in 5 of all its Covid vaccines.

Professor Halton said on Tuesday this was a lower rate than expected at this point of the pandemic.

Asked whether Australia could donate more of its unused shots overseas, Professor Halton said many health systems in low income countries had no capacity left to deliver additional vaccines.

Mr Butler said he had been exploring opportunities for further donations to the Pacific region or back into the global market, but some wastage was unavoidable.

“I think, the approach in a pandemic (is), you vaccinate whoever comes through the door,” he said.

He said the global market was at present relying on 10-dose vials of Covid-19 vaccines, meaning every vial had to be completely used in order to avoid at least some wastage.

Originally published as Report into vaccine procurement declines to criticise Scott Morrison