Doorstop - Broadmeadows, VIC
16 November 2020
STEVE MARLOW, GENERAL MANAGER SEQIRUS: Hello everyone, I’ll explain who I am to get started, my name is Steve Marlow I’m the General Manager for Seqiris, firstly I’d like to welcome the Prime Minister and the Health Minister and the Chief Medical Officer to our Broadmeadows facility today. Also I’d like to thank the federal government for their partnership here and also for the long standing relationship we’ve had with the Commonwealth in protecting public health with our role in the pandemic preparedness, preparing for influenza vaccine, and producing those critical products that are unique to Australia, so anti-venoms and Q-Fever, and really today spells the next chapter in our manufacturing relationship.
I’d also like to thank the Victorian government for their support. Victoria is a very strong biotech hub and we are delighted to be a strong part of it’s future in Victoria.
CSL’s history is linked very much with Australian public health. In 1918 we responded to the Spanish Flu, in 2009 we responded to the H1N1 Swine Flu and today we toured the facility that is looking at producing the COVID-19 vaccine candidate. So we hope that development sees a vaccine early in the new year. The AstraZeneca [inaudible] began production last week, [inaudible] today.
So look it’s been an interesting journey and today we get to announce a significant investment in Seqirus, $800 million investment in a new state of the art biotech manufacturing facility right here in Melbourne, in fact not at all a very long distance away from this facility here, at the airport. We’re delighted to make that announcement.
What this facility will bring, it will deliver new technology, cell-based influenza manufacturing facility. And this will support the seasonal epidemic of influenza and also it will be a key part of our global supply chain network. We have facilities in the US in North Carolina, we’ve got facilities in the UK, and this facility will an integral part of our global supply chain. [inaudible].
Critically, the facility will be in a constant state of pandemic readiness for influenza outbreaks. So pandemic influenza outbreaks, we can pivot the facility very quickly, rapidly scale it up to respond for Australians when needed most. And it doesn’t end there. The facility will also produce anti-venom’s, these are unique products for Australians for snakes, for spiders, and marine creatures, and we’ll also produce the Q-Fever vaccine in this facility.
And just to finish off, we will also produce the MF59 adjuvant and this is really important [inaudible] vaccines and stimulate immune response and this ingredients into [inaudible] CSL COVID-19 pandemic. That will be part of this facility.
So look we are delighted to be able to share this announcement today, with the federal government and it’s a fantastic opportunity that we have in terms of [inaudible] lock in the supply of these critical medicines in Australia for decades to come.
On that note I would like to pass to the Prime Minister, thank you.
PRIME MINISTER: Well thank you very much for the welcome, it’s great to be here at Seqirus and [inaudible] and to all the others that are joining us here today for what is a very important announcement.
What is occurring today is bringing together a whole series of strands in terms of what the government is doing to address the great disruption that we’ve seen through COVID-19 this year. Most obviously it is about the production of Aussie doses for COVID-19, for the vaccine, being made here, right here at this very facility. And I particularly want to thank CSL for their tremendous partnership that we have had, for both the production of the AstraZeneca vaccine as well as the University of Queensland vaccine. We're very proud of this work and we are proud of the science that is supporting it, particularly that in the University of Queensland. And the reality that could unfold which would See Australia playing such a critical role in vaccines for COVID-19.
But we also are very proud of the fact that it can be manufactured right here in Melbourne. These Aussie doses here in Melbourne that will prove to be subject to the TGA's approval an absolute game-changer, not just for our own country. Not just for our own economy and getting back to normal, but, more broadly, around the world. So I want to thank CSL for that tremendous partnership.
But the other thing that we have learnt throughout the COVID-19 and this has been a common discussion amongst like-minded countries around the world, is the need for us to do even more to secure supply chains in critical areas and there can be few more critical than those that apply to vaccines. Whether it is the flu, as you say, or whether it is COVID-19, or, indeed, it is for the any number of venomous spiders or snakes that require the anti-venom that is produced. All of this requires a much more substantial capability that already is impressive here in Australia, but needs to be even greater.
So this is just smart thinking on behalf of the government working together with Seqirus. What we are doing here is using our purchasing power to give the certainty of a partnership of some billion dollars invested in these vaccines over the next more than a decade and that gives Seqirus the confidence to make important environment decisions and this is what our recovery strategy from COVID-19 and building for the future is all about. It is about giving these companies the confidence to invest. Whether it is the lost carryback provisions, the instant expensing arrangements - all of this is designed to bring forward investments and see manufacturing and business more generally go forward, and that brings me to the third part.
And in this year as Budget we announced our manufacturing strategy and in that manufacturing strategy we set out some clear priorities and that includes in this area of vaccine manufacturing and production here in Australia. We want to be leaders here. We want to be setting out jobs here for many years to come. This facility alone, 500 jobs in construction, but 1,300 jobs supported over the longer-term. This is a further demonstration of our manufacturing strategy hitting the ground, ensuring that we have secure supply chains in critical areas, supporting jobs, but at the same time building the reputation and the advantage that we want to have as a country in advanced manufacturing in an area like this.
CSL is a world leader. They are an established world leader and we have been able to draw on that at a time of great need for our country when it comes to the production of these vaccines. But, this partnership will just go to a whole new level and so with that I am going to ask the Health Minister Greg Hunt to say a few words about how this all fits in to our plans and our responses.
I am also going to ask the acting Chief Medical Officer Paul Kelly to give you an update on the situation in terms of the national response, in relation to the situation in South Australia. Of course I can add further comment on that when we go to questions.
So with that, Greg Hunt?
THE HON GREG HUNT MP, MINISTER FOR HEALTH: Thanks very much to the Prime Minister and Paul Kelly, but in particular to Brian McNamee and Andrew Cuthbertson and Lorna Meldrum and to Steve. And all of the employees here at CSL and Seqirus.
Today is about lives and protecting lives. It is also about creating jobs and extending jobs. And I say that because with the Prime Minister, we were able to look at the very floor where the AstraZeneca vaccine is currently being produced and that’s on track and on schedule. What we are seeing is that as we speak, it’s a week since the manufacturing commenced so Australia is in an increasingly strong position, not just with regards to our containment, but also with regards to our capacity to address the virus. And we have 134.8 million units directly ordered. We have another 25.5 million units potentially available through the COVAX International facility. All of those are about protecting Australians, but also playing our part in the world.
Today is also though, about the long-term support and this investment, which the Prime Minister has outlined, is a long-term contract by the government to provide supply for Australia with, firstly, a pandemic-flu capability. Secondly, with our Q-Fever capability and, thirdly, with our anti-venom response. It is Taipans and tiger snakes, it is brown snake and black snake venom, it’s redbacks and funnel webs, it is like a roll call of Australiana in a way, and of course the box jellyfish and even the stonefish are covered in this agreement.
What that means is that we are protecting Australians now, but we are protecting them into the future with an agreement that runs out to 2036, so it provides security for Australians and it provides certainty for CSL-Seqirus, so they can then invest in a state-of-the-art long-term advanced manufacturing plant.
At the moment, the world has been largely using egg-based vaccine manufacturing. This new plant will be a cell-based vaccine manufacturing plant, so it puts Australia right at the global forefront and because of past contracts and past investments, we have had the capacity through this pandemic to have Australian manufacturing and therefore certainty for Australians.
What we are doing is providing that certainty for coming generations and I want to thank the Prime Minister and the Treasurer for their investment. It has allowed us on the health side to be able to ensure that continuity is there and at the same time provide the jobs for Victorians, and the certainty going forward.
I'll turn now to Professor Paul Kelly to talk about the situation in South Australia, but what is happening in South Australia is exactly what we have always said would occur, that there would be outbreaks. In a world where you have Australians returning from overseas, in a world where you have Australian wool and wheat being provided overseas or critical medicines coming to Australia, there is always, always been the possibility that there would be an exchange of the virus from a surface or from an inadvertent touch. What matters is that we have the strength of system in place, the testing, the contact tracing and the isolation and Professor Finkel, who has just completed his review, and what we are seeing is that system come in to place literary as with speak and we have confidence in the capacity of South Australia to respond.
Paul?
PROFESSOR PAUL KELLY, ACTING CHIEF MEDICAL OFFICER: Thank you, Minister. So, my colleague in South Australia, Professor Nicola Spurrier range me yesterday to inform me about the first case they had found in this cluster of cases now in the Northern part of Adelaide. They are doing an enormous effort and very broad effort of finding people, testing, doing that contact tracing exercise and crucially getting people to isolate, anyone who of course has symptoms and is found positive, but also the contacts. So that has been an enormous effort so far from South Australia over the last couple of days. I called an emergency meeting of the Australian Health Protection Committee today and Nicola shared with us the issues that she was seeing. And we had already at that time, from a Commonwealth perspective offered our support of course in whatever way could be done.
So this is guided as the Minister has said from the Finkel review that was just completed and tabled at National Cabinet last week. So we know about the capability of South Australia and we know about the capability of the other states as to what support they can give and indeed from a Commonwealth level. So that has all kicked in, as you would expect it to do.
We remain very ready to assist with that work in the coming days whilst they get on top of this. I do firmly believe that the South Australian authorities with that support from others will be able to get on top of this. As the Minister said, it is not so much what has happened, but how we respond to it. That is how we are going to defeat this virus.
PRIME MINISTER: Thank you, Paul. Happy to take questions.
JOURNALIST: It would appear that the virus has escaped hotel quarantine in South Australia. Does this show that South Australia hasn't perhaps learnt some of the lessons that Victoria should have learnt by now? [INAUDIBLE]
PRIME MINISTER: No, there are no absolute fail-safes in this. That is what Professor Kelly was just referring to. The virus hasn't gone anywhere. It is still there. It will seek to exploit any vulnerability, how small or great, and that is why there are layers to our defences. The most obvious layers are the wearing of masks and the social distancing and the COVID safe behaviours that are on display here in this facility and, more broadly throughout the community. That is the first layer of protection. Then of course there has been the important international border controls and the quarantining arrangements, but they are not fail-safe as well in all cases as we have seen. Not just in South Australia, but we have seen it in Western Australia. We have seen it in New South Wales and of course we have seen it quite significantly here in Victoria.
In fact, we have seen it pretty much everywhere around the country. So it is not a surprise that that can occur from a quarantined facility. What matters is how you respond in these situations. Just as New South Wales saw many small outbreaks, the ability to get on top of them quickly has been essential to keeping that state open and now, as Victoria reopens, it is a very timely reminder here and all around the country, whether you have been behind borders or not, the virus doesn't care. If you are not following COVID-safe behaviours, if you are not following your COVID-safe plan, if you are not appreciating the appropriate social distancing, if you are not registering when you are going into a restaurant or somewhere like that anywhere in the country, then of course you are creating risks. This is a very timely reminder of this very important fact. Borders don't protect you from that. When people are moving around, we still have people coming in, returning from overseas in all states and territories. In fact, we are putting even greater effort into that now with quarantine being set up in both the Northern Territory and in Tasmania to support so many Australians who are trying to get home. So, we always have said that there will be the need for further layers and systems of defence. The testing, the tracing will now be put to the test in South Australia and I spoke to the Premier first thing this morning and, indeed, as Greg has been interacting with his counterpart and Professor Kelly with his many counterparts. Interestingly there, I think, is a greater appreciation of the development of tracing systems around the country. That is one of the things that Dr Finkel was able to highlight. Here in Victoria alone, there has been a dramatic improvement in the tracing capabilities that were on hand going back many months. So we are supporting South Australia in every way that we can and they are aware of that, but I have got to say they have got a lot of people who have moved in isolation. They are running down the contacts. We have stood up the aged care response centre in South Australia. That is important to ensure that we deal with any potential risks or issues in residential aged-care facilities. I particularly spoke to the Premier about that today.
JOURNALIST: The response from other states with regard to the South Australian situation has been different in WA and New South Wales. What is the best response in your eyes?
PRIME MINISTER: It is not for me to make that judgement. The medical expert panel, the AHPPC, met today and they didn't recommend, collectively, any one response. There has been a spectrum of responses by the states and territories and New South Wales and Victoria and the ACT, they are doing more in terms of the screening of people who are coming into their states than other states have shut those things down. What I would add particularly as far as I am aware, particularly with Tasmania is my understanding and the Northern Territory, I was in touch with Michael Gunner earlier today as well, is they see these as temporary responses. What is important is these don't get sort of locked in as part of another enduring disruption and as soon as South Australia is able to get on top of this I would be expecting that states would keep on the path that we have set towards Christmas.
JOURNALIST: Given the two weeks to see how things play out, does this jeopardise your chance of getting borders opened up before Christmas?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, I hope not. But we have always said that these are subject to the local health conditions and what occurs. But I would hope not. That will depend a lot on the disposition of various states and territories, but ensuring that you press on is a sign of confidence in your testing and tracing system. That is what it is. These have significantly improved. It will be a strong test of the South Australian system in the days ahead. But the early signs are encouraging in how they are reacting to that and being able to track down, Paul, the number of cases and they are very much concentrated in one family group, which I am sure the Premier has spoken more about. So far, it is an early good response, but we are certainly not getting ahead of ourselves as to how we anticipate this will play out in the days ahead.
JOURNALIST: In an interview this morning Minister Hunt said that the Commonwealth had offered ADF personnel to South Australia. Has South Australia accepted that offer?
PRIME MINISTER: Not to my knowledge, no. I spoke to the Premier about that this morning. There has already, has been a sort of standing support across Australia of the ADF. There will be ADF personnel in South Australia now already supporting, as they are in many places around the country, and so that is available to them to either redeploy or be reassigned. Paul, there has been a lot of work has been done by our Commonwealth public servants in supporting tracing capabilities and supporting that now. The Aged Care Response Centre has Commonwealth's support and involvement. So there is a ready response that has been in preparation for such an event and that has been swung into action. So it is all hands on.
JOURNALIST: [INAUDIBLE] quarantine programme [INAUDIBLE] Are you disappointed that South Australia hasn’t [INAUDIBLE]?
PRIME MINISTER: Well each state and territory is responsible for running their own show when it comes to these arrangements and we’ve had a very extensive review done by Dr Finkel and prior to that of course the review of the quarantine system that was put in place and while that of itself is not a failsafe it has indicated that around the country there are some very good practices in place. In fact, this is one of the things that has set Australia out from the rest of the world. And while the events in South Australia and in the last 48 hours are of course of very serious concern and are treated as such, I mean the worst day in Australia on COVID-19 is the best day that many would even hope to see overseas, in my regular discussions with overseas leaders, so I think it is important to understand that Australia is doing incredibly well, compared to all the other countries, but one of the reasons that we do is we are not complacent isn't about it. We are very cautious and we are very attentive to what needs to happen. That will be the case in South Australia as all states and territories you would expect it to be.
JOURNALIST: Just on other matters, the government settled the Robodebt class action today. Why did they wait until the day the trial started to settle that given that [inaudible]?
PRIME MINISTER: There has been a process under way, but we have already have paid out more than $700 million of the $1.2 billion so we have been getting on with making this right. I have made comments about this in the Parliament earlier in the year, regarding the Commonwealth’s position and we have been working through that process with the lawyers. But, what we had been doing most importantly, is we have been settling those payments. So over $700 million has already been paid back out through this process and there is a bit more to go and remember these payments have been made at the same time that working through government services and our agencies we've had to enlist some 1.6 million Australians on to JobSeeker and the extraordinary level of disbursements that have been made as part of the Government’s response to COVID-19. So I think the combination of those enormous demands on the system but for us to still follow through on the commitments we made here to make this right, we have done exactly that and the settlement announced today is a further demonstration of that.
JOURNALIST: Is this embarrassing for the government and will you apologise for the Robodebt?
PRIME MINISTER: I already made remarks on that in the Parliament earlier this year. So I can only just refer you back to those, where I did just that. In addition to that, what I would say is we are righting a situation which has found to have been present in this program over two governments and we are dealing with income averaging being used as a basis for raising debts. That was a practice that was employed by the previous Labor government as well as our own government and that has been addressed as being not appropriate to base those payments, those raising those debts, and we have corrected that, and we have been paying the money back, some $700 million already out of $1.2 billion. So that is what the government should do. That is what the government has done, and that is what we will continue to do.
JOURNALIST: [INAUDIBLE] This is a $1.2 billion mistake that has cost the taxpayer that has also caused welfare recipients untold pain. Should the minister Stuart Robert lose his job over it?
PRIME MINISTER: As I said, this is a matter that goes back over two governments. It goes back about a decade, as using income averaging. I would say that the Minister has been the one working together with the Attorney-General having identified the issue of setting, and making it right. This is the same Minister who ensured that 1.6 million Australians have been able to access vital income support, particularly here in Melbourne at a time of great crisis and so to be able to deal with both of these challenges at the same time, suggests to me that he's been getting very much on top this issue and has been a key part of making it right.
JOURNALIST: [INAUDIBLE]
PRIME MINISTER: If he wishes to raise questions with me about that, I'll be happy to address them, but I think the important matters that we have discussed today is not only the continued work we are doing together in response to COVID-19. There are a range of infrastructure issues we were actually dealing with before the pandemic hit and I look forward to returning to some of those and to the agreements and the work we are doing there. But most importantly, an issue that the Premier and I share a great passion for, and I know that Minister Hunt does as well and of course Professor Kelly, is the issue of mental health. Now, you have got the royal commission into mental health here in Victoria. Today, I have handed down the Productivity Commission's report on mental health. There is the interim advice of the National Suicide Prevention Adviser. What these reports show is this,is that we have a hospital system. We have got a Primary Health Care system. And you have people, particularly those who are some 30,000 Australians who seek to take their own life each year, thankfully they are not all successful, but sadly over 3,000 of those result in death by suicide.
But when you have people who have suicide attempts, one of to critical issues that is identified is when they leave hospital, when they are at great risk. Now, we have invested in - and further invested in the Way Back program and those programs exist here in Victoria. There are also the issues of when people come out of incarceration and the mental health pressures equally as when people come out of the defence forces and the mental health pressures that are faced by veterans. All of this is extenuated by the rather extraordinary year we are living through and the anxiety produced by the pandemic.
My point is, outside of hospital, outside of the public health networks, out of the GP care system there is enormous shared responsibility when it comes to community-based mental health care and today I committed to a national framework again for that to be developed by this time next year and I believe between particularly Premier Andrews and myself we will be able, I think because of our shared passion on this issue to try and get that framework right and work with other Premiers whose I know are equally passionate. The next National Federation Reform Council, well, the first I should say National Federation Reform Council will be held in about a month’s time. That is where that process will begin. It will be the most important item on that agenda. Many other important items on that agenda, but that will be in my view, in particular, the most important. That is an area where we want to see how National Cabinet work together well. Sure, there are some disagreements, but frankly it set out Australia apart from so many other countries, the way that we work together. And to take that unity of purpose and apply it to challenges, particularly like in the area of mental health, so probably from the nature of my answer you can expect that he and I will have a good chat about that because we both both feel strongly about it as the minister does and his counterparts around the country. There is a lot of good work for us to do together, and I look forward to catching up with him again. It has been a while since I have been in Melbourne. It has been great to be back. I have ended my run without a Melbourne coffee for some time and I enjoyed that catching up with some people this morning. It is great to be back here but it is particularly great to be seeing jobs, 500 jobs going into this construction alone and a future vaccination capability here, Brian, that is just going to continue to hold Australia up in lights for our great response. So thank you all very much for your time today.
