Acting Prime Minister Michael McCormack has repeated Scott Morrison's line it is "not a race" to get people vaccinated, despite a fresh coronavirus outbreak in Melbourne.
The comments come a day after Health Minister Greg Hunt denied the federal government had given the public the impression there was no rush to get vaccinated.
Mr McCormack, who is the acting prime minister as Scott Morrison is away in New Zealand, told Sky News the rollout has to be phased in systematically.
“It’s not a race, it has to be systematic, it has to be rolled out in way that Australians obviously need to know that they have to get the jab,” Mr McCormack said.
“But we can’t have everybody going to get it at the same time, and that’s why there has been a phased in system.”
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The federal government has announced 20 chartered flights to bring home the nearly 40,000 Australians who remain stranded abroad, amid the worsening coronavirus pandemic.
On Saturday, Acting Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Birmingham announced the charter flights, which will run between January 31 and March 31.
The announcement comes after the National Cabinet has temporarily reduced the number of international passengers arriving in New South Wales, Queensland and Western Australia due to the threat of the new COVID-19 strain from the UK, which is up to 70 per cent more transmissible than the original.
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Concern has spread among Australians wanting to repatriate, after Emirates abruptly suspended flights to and from Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane for the foreseeable future.
The announcement was made on Friday evening, with the airline advising affected customers to “contact their travel agent or Emirates contact centre for rebooking options.”
It is estimated that hundreds of Australian nationals have been left stuck overseas following the development, amongst them many Greeks and Greek Cypriots, Neos Kosmos understands.
Emirates operated its last flight into Brisbane from Dubai, yesterday, Saturday.
The carrier’s last remaining flights into Melbourne and Sydney are scheduled for Tuesday.
Meanwhile, the Dubai – Perth itinerary will be the only Emirates flight into the country continuing.