Rapid Antigen Tests (RATs) should be free and accessible for all Australians, but as a result of Scott Morrison’s bungling, they’re neither.

Scott Morrison was too slow to act in securing rapid antigen tests and now too many Australians can’t access the tests, either because there is no supply or because they are unaffordable.

Unfortunately, yet again we see that Scott Morrison learnt nothing from his bungled vaccine rollout. Even after being warned by the Australian Medical Association about the importance of delivering a RAT testing system in September 2021, the Prime Minister has been too slow to act and now too many Australians like yourself can’t access the tests.

Scott Morrison needs to ensure enough supply of these tests. He needs to ensure that those Australians already struggling to pay the bills can access them. And he needs to direct the ACCC to act on possible price gouging of what is a crucial part of the pandemic response.

Consistent with the advice of the Australian Medical Association and public health experts, Labor believes it is not good enough to provide access to free RATs to pensioners and other concession card holders while leaving working families in the lurch as Scott Morrison plans to do. Making tests free and accessible for all is what the Medicare system is for.

Labor will continue to call on Scott Morrison and the Liberal Government to make RATs free and accessible.