PRIME Minister Scott Morrison has not ruled out a form of vaccine passport between states despite concerns aired by a Border MP and the idea being rubbished by the Opposition Leader.
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Member for Indi Helen Haines asked Mr Morrison in parliamentary question time on Monday if he could "give an iron-clad guarantee that his government will not require vaccine passports for interstate travel?".
Mr Morrison replied that the idea would be discussed at the next national Cabinet meeting, set for June 4.
He said the idea had been put to him by the Australian Medical Association in Western Australia.
"The proposal we're talking about is not that someone would require a passport to get from one state to another, not at all," Mr Morrison said.
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"The proposal actually was put to me by the president of the AMA when I was in Western Australia.
"He suggested to me...that in the event that states put in place border restrictions like the member (for Indi) would have experienced between Victoria and NSW, that had states put those in place, then it would be very helpful that if people that had been fully vaccinated would be exempt from those restrictions and would be able to move across the borders.
"I would have hoped that that would be a good suggestion, particularly for those living in border communities where they have been fully vaccinated."
Dr Haines was appalled at Mr Morrison's answer.
"Straight after question time the Prime Minister's Office contacted me, and I have requested a meeting as soon as possible to put this interstate vaccine passport idea to bed," Dr Haines said.
"Putting up a checkpoint on the border would result in extraordinary hardship all over again.
"It's the last thing we need.
"We need an effective vaccination program for wherever you are across Australia.
"Imposing border restrictions, which would result in more queues and checkpoints, is no substitute for a proper vaccination program."
Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese also criticised the everyday impact.
"We have a Prime Minister who criticises state governments for having borders closed, but now wants passports for Australians to travel across state boundaries," he told reporters in Queanbeyan on Monday.
"I mean, for goodness sake. Albury-Wodonga will have a little booth at the border crossing there of the Murray River."
