Morrison government failed to provide priority for at-risk groups in vaccine rollout, report says

The National Audit Office found Covid vaccine rollouts to priority populations and the general population ‘has not met targets’. Photograph: Asanka Ratnayake/Getty Images

The Morrison government botched the early planning of Australia’s Covid vaccine rollout, failing to provide priority for at-risk groups including aged and disability care, and First Nations people, according to a new report.

The Australian National Audit Office report, released on Thursday, criticised the previous administration for not beginning to plan the rollout with states and territories until November 2020. It recommended a more comprehensive review and will likely fuel calls for a Covid-19 royal commission.