‘Industry can help with jab rollout’

BUSINESS Council of Australia president Tim Reed has urged the federal government to push ahead with plans to get the country vaccinated, offering business help to achieve the task if needed.

Speaking at a dinner in Sydney on Monday night hosted by the BCA and attended by Scott M o r r i s o n and 400 b u s i n e s s leaders, Mr Reed ( pictured) said the task of tackling the virus was “far from complete”.

He praised the federal government for its handling of the pandemic but said it was important that Australia moved to get its population vaccinated, offering the support of the business community to get the job done.

“Thank you to your government for the huge amount you contributed to our nation,” he told the Prime Minister at the first major gathering of business leaders in Australia since the pandemic started last year.

“But the task at hand remains far from complete. We have to ensure we continue to keep our citizens safe. We have to get the nation vaccinated.

“With over a million people still unemployed, we have to continue to drive economic growth by predictably reopening our economy.”

Mr Reed said the Business Council was prepared to continue to work with the government “on all fronts — keeping the pandemic at bay, getting our nation vaccinated”.

“Many businesses stand ready to be involved in that process when and wherever it is useful,” he said.

His comments follow those of National Australia Bank chief executive Ross Mcewan to a parliamentary inquiry on Friday, saying that the bank was happy to assist with the rollout of the vaccine, particularly when it came to encouraging the bank’s staff to get vaccinated.

Mr Mcewan said large employers could help with the rollout and “we would be happy to do so”.