The Australian government has invested a further $540 million in response to the COVID-19 pandemic including significant funding to keep Australians safe, and for COVID-19 testing.

The government has committed more than $33 billion in additional health spending since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, to protect the health of all Australians.

Of this funding, $492 million will be invested into measures to continue support for all Australians, including Aged Care Preparedness Support Measures Extension; Victorian Aged Care Response Centre (VACRC); Support for Aged Care Workers in COVID-19 Program (SACWIC); COVID-19 Indigenous and Remote Response Measures; National Incident Centre; Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) fee for COVID-19 pathology items; COVID-19 pathology testing in aged care; and Aged Care: Refundable Accommodation Deposit (RAD) Loan Scheme

In addition, $48 million will be invested into COVID-19 medical research to explore multiple aspects of COVID-19, including vaccination, treatment and modelling.  

Five research projects around the nation will also share in $15 million in funding and $33 million in competitive grant opportunities will be provided to further support researchers as part of the Morrison Government’s ongoing COVID-19 pandemic response.