Q+A: April 29

As India’s Covid-19 outbreak spirals out of control, Australia has announced it will suspend all passenger flights between the two countries until mid-May to reduce the risk of spreading the disease. Tonight Q+A asks does this mean for Australians stuck in India?

We’ll also look at why mass vaccination centres in Australia are operating at a fraction of capacity and ask what the government needs to do to restore faith in its vaccination rollout?

The war of words over the country’s hotel quarantine system is raging on, with some calling the system “faulty” and not fit for purpose. What is the future for Australia’s hotel quarantine system?

As the government looks to next month’s budget, we’ll discuss the treatment of women in the workplace, with Nationals Senator Bridget McKenzie and communications specialist Parnell Palme McGuiness, including a proposal to get more women into the workforce, by lifting the maximum childcare subsidy and scrapping an annual cap on support.

And we’ll hear about the ongoing impact of COVID-19 on our arts community with Courtney Act joining us on the panel and closing the show with a performance.

Joining Hamish on the panel:

Bridget McKenzie, Nationals Senate Leader
Courtney Act, Performer and activist
Mark Butler, Shadow Minister for Health and Ageing
Parnell Palme McGuinness, Communications Consultant
Hervé Lemahieu, Director, Power and Diplomacy Program, Lowy Institute

8:30pm tonight on ABC