The federal government is facing a fresh wave of criticism over poor communication around the vaccine rollout, after announcing the AstraZeneca jab would be discontinued in October.

The NSW government, currently in the grip of a COVID-19 outbreak, is among the critics of the slow rollout.

Energy Minister Angus Taylor contested the narrative, and accused some media and Labor politicians of “deliberately encouraging vaccine hesitancy”.

“That carping negativity is exactly the opposite of what we need,” he told Deborah Knight.

Labor MP Joel Fitzgibbon, whose AstraZeneca vaccine appointment was cancelled following the new advice for under 60s, was incensed at Mr Taylor’s suggestion he “chose” to wait.

“Are you kidding me?

“I wasn’t hesitant … Angus is suggesting that I should’ve jumped in earlier before the experts told me it wasn’t safe for me to recieve that vaccination.

“What a crazy argument to be making!”

Press PLAY below to hear the explosive exchange