Kiama MP Gareth Ward calls for vouchers to be used for Covid rapid tests
An MP infected with Covid has joined growing calls for free rapid antigen testing to be made available via vouchers in an effort to stop kits becoming the ‘toilet paper of the pandemic’.
The South Coast News
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Independent Kiama MP Gareth Ward has proposed a voucher scheme be rolled out for rapid antigen tests to help alleviate supply shortages across NSW.
Mr Ward, who tested positive for Covid on Wednesday, said the vouchers, which would be redeemed via the Service NSW app, would stop the hoarding of rapid antigen tests.
Record case numbers across the state have put pressure on testing facilities and forced many residents to seek out at-home Covid tests which have become scarce amid reports of hoarding and price gouging.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced on Wednesday that tests would be made free to concession card holders, with opposition leader Anthony Albanese urging for tests to be free to everyone.
Mr Ward said an online voucher scheme similar to the State Government’s Dine and Discover program would alleviate pressure on supply chains, while also guaranteeing proportionate access to families and children.
“Millions of people already have the Service NSW app,” he said.
“All the infrastructure is already in place. The government has got the systems and the software.
“You could simply load a number of vouchers for rapid antigen tests into that app.
“For those people that can‘t access the app or don’t have a smartphone, they can go to their Service NSW centre and they can get a hard copy of those vouchers, just as they can now. And, there would be arrangements made for families and children.”
Mr Ward said the voucher scheme had been largely supported by local pharmacists, as well as by the Pharmacy Guild of Australia, which he said had adopted it as its preferred model.
Mr Ward said hoarding was not addressed in Wednesday’s announcement.
“Rapid antigen tests have become the toilet paper of this particular stage of the pandemic, and it’s born out of fear,” he said.
“The government failed to communicate with the public around the challenges of testing at this time.
“The reason why a lot of PCR testing locations closed was because staff were on holidays.
“They work incredibly hard and needed a break.”
Mr Ward slammed the Morrison Government for what he said was a lack of leadership during the pandemic, and suggested the recent surge of cases could have been predicted and better dealt with if warnings from similar waves in Europe and North America had been heeded.
“It’s not the politicians that are rolling up their sleeves, it‘s the frontline workforce,” he said.
“I think a lot of issues we’ve experienced during the pandemic could have been resolved if there was greater collaborative effort with health services, and that comes back to a lack of leadership from the Prime Minister.”
With more 35,054 cases recorded in NSW on Wednesday, Mr Ward said he still thought Australia was the “envy of the world” in its response to the Covid pandemic.
“I don‘t think anyone expects for there to be flawless response to something that none of us have had to deal with before,” he said.
“It’s a perfect storm. You’ve got total incompetence at the Commonwealth level, issues around supply of rapid engine tests, a Christmas period where people are on leave, and you’ve got health professionals getting Covid.
“It’s a really difficult time for the state and I think, for what it’s worth, the State Government’s done a pretty good job.
“My concern is with what was reasonably foreseeable at a national level, and the lack of action in that regard.”
NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet vowed on Wednesday the state will do “everything we can” to secure and roll out more RAT tests to the entire community as shortages and huge PCR testing queues plague clinic sites.
A spokesman for Mr Perrottet’s office could not confirm whether the State Government had plans for a voucher scheme.
Mr Perrottet revealed that shipments of RAT tests were due to arrive next week.
“In relation to the provision of rapid antigen tests from the NSW perspective, we will do whatever we can working with the Commonwealth … whether it’s through financial support and distribution, whatever role the state can play,” Mr Perrottet said.
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