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Former Australian PM slams vaccine disaster as nation’s”biggest failure”

Published

4 years ago

July 26, 2021

Former Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull says that Australia’s disaster vaccine rollout is the “biggest failure of public administration” in his experience

Former Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull says that although Australia has gotten “a lot of things right,” the federal government must answer for Australia’s disastrous vaccine rollout.

Turnbull criticised the Morrison government, saying it hadn’t bought enough vaccines, particularly Pfizer and Moderna. If it had, “we’d be in much better shape today”. He says this is why Australia is ranked last place for vaccination rates in the OECD.

Does Australia’s hotel quarantine system work?

He says that the Morrison government’s other big failure in tackling Covid-19 was not creating a more effective quarantine system. The hotel quarantine system has got “real weaknesses,” he said, one being its inability to contain the virus “spreading through aerosols”

“As Jane Holton recommended last year, we should have a number of quarantine centres which are cabin based,” he said, where people are staying in an enclosed cabin that “is not sharing air conditioning with the people in the room next door” and “not sharing corridors in enclosed spaces and so forth”.

“We wouldn’t be locked down in Sydney if we had a higher level of vaccination. That’s a fact.”

Turnbull says that the bungled vaccine rollout has caused the nation to lock down when many other countries are reopening. Many people in Australia are unable to be vaccinated because there are not enough doses to go around.

“This is where it really gets terribly serious,” he says. ” There are people today in Sydney who are not vaccinated, because the Commonwealth government did not buy the vaccines we needed”.

The Delta variant is driving new COVID-19 surges, even as countries around the world make gradual progress in vaccinating their populations. These graphics show how the strain is taking over. https://t.co/lWlLon8I2n
— Council on Foreign Relations (@CFR_org) July 23, 2021

Australian vaccine disaster

“We’re talking about very momentous responsibilities here,” he said. “The first duty of government is to keep people safe”.

“Why wouldn’t you have just bought as many vaccines from as many suppliers as you could, and if you ended up with too many vaccines, you know, give them to other countries?”

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Natasha Schapova

Natasha is an Associate Producer at ticker NEWS with a Bachelor of arts from Monash University. She has previously worked at Sky News Australia and Monash University as an Online Content Producer.

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U.S. envoys head to Moscow as Ukraine peace talks accelerate

U.S. envoys to meet Putin, signaling a potential shift in Ukraine war diplomacy.

Published

21 hours ago

January 22, 2026

Harvey Vargas

U.S. envoys to meet Putin, signaling a potential shift in Ukraine war diplomacy.

Senior U.S. envoys are preparing to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin as diplomatic efforts around the war in Ukraine gather pace. The visit comes after Russia formally requested high-level talks, signalling a potential shift in momentum.

Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are set to travel to Moscow following months of behind-the-scenes discussions. The move underscores Washington’s willingness to engage directly as negotiations enter a more decisive phase.

With global attention fixed on the outcome, the meeting could shape the next chapter of the conflict — and determine whether diplomacy can finally overtake military escalation.

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#UkraineWar #RussiaUkraine #PeaceTalks #GlobalPolitics #USRussia #BreakingNews #Geopolitics #TickerNews

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Trump drops tariff threat after Greenland framework deal

Trump announces Greenland deal, easing tariff threats amid trade tensions, boosting US markets and sparking Arctic diplomacy debate.

Published

21 hours ago

January 22, 2026

Harvey Vargas

Trump announces Greenland deal, easing tariff threats amid trade tensions, boosting US markets and sparking Arctic diplomacy debate.

U.S. President Donald Trump has announced a framework deal involving Greenland, stepping back from earlier threats to impose tariffs on Europe. The shift comes after heightened global concern over trade tensions and geopolitical stability.

The announcement followed Trump’s appearance at the World Economic Forum in Davos and discussions with NATO’s Secretary General.

Denmark’s Foreign Minister has since weighed in, responding to speculation surrounding Greenland’s future and the implications of US involvement.

Markets reacted positively, with US stocks rallying after Trump signalled he would abandon the tariff threats.

While Trump reiterated he would not use force to acquire Greenland, the move has sparked renewed debate about diplomacy, trade, and influence in the Arctic region.

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#DonaldTrump #Greenland #USTrade #Tariffs #GlobalMarkets #USPolitics #WorldNews #Ticker

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Coalition cracks deepen as Nationals break ranks over Labor reforms

Nationals senators defy party lines, voting against Labor’s reforms as Coalition faces internal rifts and leadership concerns.

Published

2 days ago

January 21, 2026

Harvey Vargas

Nationals senators defy party lines, voting against Labor’s reforms as Coalition faces internal rifts and leadership concerns.

A rift has emerged in the Coalition after three Nationals senators crossed the floor to vote against Labor’s post-Bondi hate group reforms, defying party lines and raising questions about their future in the shadow cabinet.

Their proposed amendment calling for greater scrutiny was rejected, and Labor’s legislation passed the Senate 38 votes to 22, cementing the reforms into law despite opposition pushback.

Coalition leadership will meet Wednesday to assess the political fallout, though some MPs consider the issue minor in terms of potential resignations. The incident highlights growing tensions within the party as internal discipline comes under pressure.

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#AustralianPolitics #Coalition #Nationals #Labor #Senate #PoliticalDrama #TickerNews #BreakingPolitics