Premier says SA should be outraged by claims eastern states stealing our RAT tests

The Premier says SA should be outraged by claims interstate governments had commandeered our RAT stocks, and wants an independent probe.

Premier Steven Marshall has called for an independent investigation into claims other states intercepted South Australian bound rapid antigen tests.

The Advertiser exclusively revealed that millions of dollars of RAT tests bound for SA had gone missing, with interstate governments accused of requisitioning them at Sydney and Melbourne airports for their own staff.

Mr Marshall told FIVEaa on Wednesday morning South Australians had “every right to be outraged by this allegation”.

“Any interference with our supply of rapid antigen tests to South Australia is completely and utterly unacceptable,” Mr Marshall said. 

After being made aware of the allegations by The Advertiser, Mr Marshall said he was in contact with interstate governments, who denied the claims.

A staff member at the rapid antigen test pick-up station at Adelaide’s Southern Parklands off Greenhill Road. Picture: Emma Brasier

“They certainly don’t accept that they have jumped the queue, but we do think that there needs to be an independent investigation,” he said.

“I’ll be writing to the ACCC this morning, this is, I think the right body, if there has been an interference in the market, then certainly, to see whether it was even legal. 

“We’ve got to be doing everything we can to make sure that we’ve got the right access here in South Australia and if there has been any interference, well that’s quite frankly outrageous.” 

Pharmacists and retailers – some of which have been fielding up to 100 calls an hour from irate customers – have demanded answers about compulsory procurement, which is allowed under state and federal emergency laws.

SA retailers have been unable to supply demand since late December, with every shipment that does arrive disappearing within hours.

A letter obtained by The Advertiser reveals a Sydney-based wholesaler, which did not want to be named, told their SA customer that the $1.3m of the tests they had paid for had just been taken.

The letter, the authenticity of which has been verified by The Advertiser, states; “To all our valued customers. It wasn’t that we were ignoring you, it was a matter of the government taking all our focus and commandeering our stock that arrived since we put out the offer to you re: rapid antigen test kits”.

Norwood nursing student Ellie Wilkinson picking up a rapid antigen test. Picture: Emma Brasier

“The government has been commandeering all stocks in NSW for frontline workers.

“I fought hard with the government for us and actually thought we were too small to even register on their radar, but I was wrong! We are big enough for them to take what they want.

“The current stock has all gone, but moving forward, we have an allocation that we have been assured will not be taken, as the state’s and contracts are now in place.”

Late on Tuesday a spokesman for Premier Steven Marshall said he would work with retailers to get to the bottom of the problem, but currently had no evidence of procurement of SA stock.

A spokeswoman for South Australian Senator and Minister Families and Social Services Anne Ruston confirmed the matter had been raised with her by a major SA retailer asking for help.

The spokeswoman said the office was trying to talk to any suppliers and wholesalers who had evidence of procurement.

Other orders have failed to arrive at chemists, said Pharmacy Guild SA president Nick Panayiaris, the industry had for weeks been scrambling to catch up with public demand.

He said it had demanded answers from the Federal Government as members were inundated by up to 100 calls every hour by desperate shoppers looking for the tests.

“It has become so bad outlets are having to take their phones off the hook to provide basic services like dispensing medicines,’’ Mr Panayiaris said.

“One outlet had a $480,000 RATs confirmed order put off today.

“These disappearing orders that are ‘appearing’ at government media conferences (around the country) each day as ‘oh we have just received one million RAT tests’.

“We are on the case every single day and being told there are none, and government is announcing every day around the country that they have millions.

“One supplier I talked to today has lost three flights entirely full of RAT tests.

“One supplier said entire planes are being bought so that governments are not seen to be requisitioning from individual suppliers.”

Problems with disappearing orders began early this month when a major SA food retailer first alerted The Advertiser to tests having been paid for but then taken off wholesalers in Sydney and Melbourne airports.

Government departments are requiring their staff to pass a Rapid Antigen Tests once every two days, including SA Health’s back room workers.

Henry Mcgregor, physio at Adelaide Health Co at Stepney, was one retailer who said his orders had been taken in Sydney.

Drivers queue for RATs at Josie Agius Park on Greenhill Road. Picture: Brenton Edwards.

“I called our supplier to check why there was a delay as we had previously received some without problem and was told the government had taken them,” he said.

The Advertiser contacted NSW Health, Victoria Health, SA Health and SAPOL but all have categorically denied purchasing RAT tests to their advantage over retailers.

Despite repeated questioning on Tuesday The Commonwealth Health Department would only deny that it had purchases “all” the RAT tests inbound to Australia, and said it had not sought an advantage for itself, but refused to say if it had purchased any intended for the private sector.

The Department is known to be building a 10m-test stockpile to release to states.

Unley’s Haddad Pharmacy spokesman Greg Scarlett said it was one outlet which had RAT tests taken, and had been trying to resolve the issue since late December.

“I read this week that the Victorian government got two million and well they would not have ordered them any sooner that we did,” he said.