Scott Morrison has sent his best wishes to Boris Johnson as the UK Prime Minister battles coronavirus in intensive care.
Mr Morrison sent his well-wishes to his British counterpart on behalf of the Australian public during his address to federal parliament on Wednesday.
‘As a nation, we specially send our best wishes to our good friend the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Boris Johnson,’ he said.
‘Get well soon, Boris. We need you.’
Boris Johnson is in intensive care in London
Mr Johnson confirmed he had tested positive for COVID-19 in a video shared to social media on March 27 and was transferred to St Thomas’ Hospital in central London over the weekend.
The 55-year-old had to be given oxygen after his health deteriorated sharply over just two hours, leaving doctors fearing he may need a ventilator.
But the UK prime minister’s spokesman said: ‘The Prime Minister has been stable overnight and remains in good spirits.
‘He is receiving standard oxygen treatment and breathing without any other assistance. He has not required mechanical ventilation or non-invasive respiratory support.’
Scott Morrison gave a rousing speech in Parliament this morning as he vowed Australia would win the ‘battle’ against coronavirus.
He echoed British wartime prime minister Sir Winston Churchill and declared: ‘We will never surrender.’
‘Today we act to protect Australia’s sovereignty,’ he said.
‘When Australian lives and livelihoods are threatened, when they are under attack, our nation’s sovereignty is put at risk, and we must respond.’
Sovereignty is a country’s ability to govern itself. Mr Morrison said Australia’s sovereignty depended on a free, open and democratic society, enabled through a vibrant market economy.
‘Above all, our sovereignty is sustained by what we believe as Australians, what we value and hold most dear, our principles, our way of life, a way of doing things,’ he said.
‘We will never surrender this.’
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison was quick to send his thoughts and prayers to his British counterpart Boris Johnson from the Australian public
In a message of hope, he added: ‘It will be a fight we will win. But it won’t be a fight without cost, or without loss.
‘Once we have overcome these threats – and we will – we will rebuild, we will restore, whatever the battle ahead takes from us.
Mr Morrison extended his deepest sympathies for all who have lost loved ones to the virus.
‘Sadly, there have been almost 50 deaths in Australia. Tens of thousands more have died across the world,’ Mr Morrison said.
‘One of those was the member for Cooper’s father-in-law.
‘On behalf of the government and the parliament, I extend our deepest sympathies to the member for Cooper and her family.’
The Prime Minister (pictured today) gave a rousing speech in Parliament this morning as he vowed Australia would win the ‘battle’ against coronavirus
Mr Morrison’s speech was reminiscent of Winston Churchill’s address to the UK Parliament in June 1940 as the Nazis swept through Europe. Pictured: Churchill after victory in 1945
Mr Morrison noted that when parliament last sat, just over a fortnight ago, the numbers of Australians newly infected with the virus was growing more than 20 per cent a day.
Now that daily increase averages two per cent.
Tough restrictions on people’s movements and social distancing measures had bought the country precious time to prepare its health system, but that progress could easily be undone.
‘We are buying ourselves precious time in this fight. And I want to thank the overwhelming majority of Australians for doing the right thing. You are saving lives, you are saving livelihoods,’ Mr Morrison said.
Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese said politicians came to Canberra with open hearts and open minds.
‘But we owe it to all Australians to keep our eyes open, too,’ he told parliament.
The unprecedented scale of the support package set Australia on a path for a trillion-dollar debt, he said.
‘It is a bill that will saddle a generation.’
Confirmed cases across Australia hit 5,997 on Wednesday, with 50 people confirmed dead