Appendix 3

Public interest immunity claims on behalf of the Minister for Health

Questions for which the Minister representing the Minister for Health claimed public interest immunity on 23 September 2020
Question
Asked by
Reference
CHAIR: … I think some of the various models that you've done over time as you've flattened the curve have been released publicly. I presume you've been briefing the National Security Committee of cabinet on those improvements in the modelling of the health data over the last eight weeks.
Prof. Murphy: The national cabinet has been briefed on those and the National Security Committee less so. At the national cabinet, the premiers and the Prime Minister generally get an update on the modelling at every meeting.
CHAIR: What about the federal cabinet?
Ms Edwards: Of course, Professor Murphy is not really at liberty to discuss what advice he's given to cabinet.
CHAIR: I'm talking about the modelling and whether or not that's been provided. I'm not asking what the modelling is and what it's saying and what might not have been released. I am asking whether the Chief Medical Officer has provided modelling to the NSC.
Ms Edwards: To government?
CHAIR: Well, through to the cabinet. One would hope so.
Prof. Murphy: Certainly, as I said, it's coming out. We know that it's released after each national cabinet meeting.
Ms Edwards: Very comprehensive advice is provided to government at all stages through the ordinary processes, including the confidential cabinet processes.
CHAIR: But you won't confirm whether the modelling has been provided to the cabinet?
…
CHAIR: My question is whether the NSC of the federal cabinet have been briefed on the modelling as the curve has flattened. …
Senator Gallagher
Committee Hansard, 26 May 2020, pp. 33–34
Public interest immunity claim: 23 September 2020 (see Figure 3.1)
Questions for which the Minister representing the Minister for Health claimed public interest immunity on 1 October 2020
Question
Asked by
Reference
On what dates in January 2020 did the Chief Medical Officer provide COVID-19 briefings to:
(c) the National Security Committee and
(d) the Cabinet.
Senator Gallagher
Written: 28 April 2020
Initial response to question on notice: 26 June 2020 (Document no. 154)
Department's ref: IQ20-000018 (c ) (d)
On what date/s did the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee first brief (a) the Minister for Health (b) the Cabinet and/or (c) the National Cabinet on COVID-19.
Senator Gallagher
Written: 22 May 2020
Initial response to question on notice: 27 July 2020 (Document no. 217)
Department's ref: IQ20-000245
In relation to the comment made by the Victorian Health Minister on ABC Radio National Breakfast on 24 June that “National Cabinet agreed to a suppression strategy not an eliminations strategy”:
a. When was this decision taken?
Senator Gallagher
Written: 26 June 2020
Initial response to question on notice: 20 July 2020 (Document no. 242)
Department's ref: IQ20-000386 (a)
Senator PATRICK: I want to just move more broadly to border restrictions. Obviously each state has adopted a different approach. Does the Department of Health have any view from a medical perspective as to the effectiveness? Has any modelling been done in and around border closures? It seems to be topical now. There are questions as to whether or not those restrictions should be lifted.
Ms Edwards: The medical advice, which has been provided to the government, is everything that has been agreed by the AHPPC. I'm not aware of any specific view that it has had in relation to state border restrictions, but I will have to take that on notice if there's anything that I'm not aware of.
Senator Patrick
Committee Hansard, 2 June 2020, p. 16
Initial response to question on notice: 19 August 2020 (Document no. 290)
Revised response to question on notice: 2 September 2020 (Document no. 290)
Department's ref: IQ20-000356
Please provide minutes of all meetings of the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee (AHPPC) since 20 January 2020.
Senator Gallagher
Written: 26 June 2020
Initial response to question on notice: 19 August 2020 (Document no. 284)
Department's ref: IQ20-000382

Figure :  Correspondence from the Minister representing the Minister for Health to the committee Chair, 23 September 2020.

Figure :  Correspondence from the committee Chair to the Department of Health, 15 September 2020.

Figure :  Correspondence from the Minister representing the Minister for Health to the committee Chair, 1 October 2020.


 |  Contents  |