Australia’s PM defends Covid vaccine rollout as half of population awakes in lockdown

Prime minister Scott Morrison faces growing frustration amid sluggish vaccination rate and growing list of coronavirus hotspots across the country

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The Australian prime minister, Scott Morrison, has refused to apologise for his government's handling of the coronavirus vaccine rollout, amid testy exchanges during a radio interview as more than 13 million Australians - or half of the population - awoke in lockdown conditions.

Morrison carried out a whistle-stop tour of radio stations on Wednesday as Covid measures spread further into the state of New South Wales, while Victoria reported a record one-day increase in cases and South Australia began its first full day of a week-long lockdown.