Aussies slam major flaw in NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet’s $1000 RAT fine

Aussies have hit out at NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet’s divisive $1000 rapid test penalty, exposing a serious problem with the plan.

High-profile Australians have joined everyday residents in lashing NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet’s shock rapid antigen test fine after a glaring flaw in the plan emerged.

On Wednesday, Mr Perrottet announced that NSW residents who returned a Covid-positive rapid antigen test (RAT) would be slapped with a hefty $1000 penalty if they failed to report the result to authorities.

Under the plan, it is now mandatory to report a positive RAT result via a simple step in the Service NSW app, with the function going live on Wednesday morning.

Within hours, more than 50,000 positive RAT results had been registered online in the state, with 78,000 positive cases confirmed on early Thursday morning.

The stiff fine for noncompliance will come into effect next Wednesday, after the Premier announced a week-long “grace period”.

“This health order has been signed off this morning and in terms of enforcement, if someone fails to register a positive rapid antigen test, there will be a $1000 fine,” Mr Perrottet said yesterday.

“There will be a grace period, I spoke to the Police Commissioner this morning, Karen Webb, and enforcement of the this fine will come in one week’s time, from the 19th of January.”

NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet announced the tough new penalty during a Covid update on Wednesday. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Nikki Short

But within moments of the plan being announced, Australians pounced on an obvious problem – that there would be nothing to stop people from simply not getting tested, or not recording the result if they do.

High profile Australians and everyday residents alike also pointed out another problem – the fact that RATs are in such short supply they’ve been all but impossible to come by for weeks on end.

Taking to Twitter on Wednesday morning, Centre for Future Work senior economist Alison Pennington described the move as “absurdly counter-productive”, given how “elusive” and expensive RATs were and how difficult the process was.

NSW threatening $1000 fine for no RAT report absurdly counterproductive. Workers just won’t get tested. Imagine: you're crook. Options? Drive hrs to find elusive RAT. Pay $40 you dont have. Lose income isolating. Risk job loss & $1k fine. OR: Dont get tested. Keep working #auspol

— Alison Pennington (@ak_pennington) January 12, 2022

Former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd also weighed in, highlighting the hypocrisy of Mr Perrottet’s decision after he had previously supported a “personal responsibility” approach to managing the pandemic, as opposed to government regulation.

So much for "freedom warrior" Perrottet, now throwing around heavy-handed threats. Turns out a career built on preaching far right libertarian ideological clap trap to Liberal Party branches doesn’t train you to become premier of Australia's biggest state.https://t.co/iCvoGoLSCG

— Kevin Rudd (@MrKRudd) January 12, 2022

The Ten Network’s political editor, Peter van Onselen, also pointed out the obvious, asking “how on earth does this get policed?”

While I’m all in favour of people registering positive RAT results - personal and community responsibility - how on earth does this get policed? https://t.co/Rc7XmBbDdF

— Peter van Onselen (@vanOnselenP) January 12, 2022

Australian political and social commentator Ronni Salt said the fine was “one of the dumbest things” the Perrottet government had regulated, while countless ordinary Australians also voiced their concerns over the strategy.

Sometimes politicians - especially naive but slippery politicians like @Dom_Perrottet - put out useless public messaging designed to give the impression they're doing something.

This is one of the dumbest things the Perrottet govt have regulated - in an insane month of dumbness. https://t.co/dsbvdBG4zf

— 🕯 RonniSalt 🕯 (@RonniSalt) January 11, 2022

It’s even worse than performance politics. If you threaten people with a punishment for reporting the result of something that is optional, they will just not do the optional thing. This is cold and calculated. It makes numbers look good+relieves stress on RAT test availability.

— Lachy Mac (@lachy23mac) January 12, 2022

A poll of news.com.au readers found an overwhelming 70 per cent thought the fine was “unfair”.

The peak of NSW’s outbreak is now projected to hit at the end of the month, with Mr Perrottet saying the state was now in a “transition period” of dealing with the virus and there was “no alternative” but to push forward.

The announcement follows weeks of controversy over Australia’s dire rapid antigen tests shortage, which led to allegations of price gouging amid reports some retailers were selling the kits for an eye-watering $44 per test.

The announcement follows weeks of rapid test controversy. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Nikki Short, Damien Meyer/AFP

Australia’s competition watchdog previously announced it would “name and shame” retailers which are selling rapid tests at exorbitant prices.

Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) chair Rod Sims vowed a crackdown on rogue retailers, announcing the ACCC was “on the case” and was monitoring the situation “very closely”.

“If we get a number of reports about excessive pricing from particular outlets, that’s when we can get involved and take whatever we judge to be the appropriate action,” he said.

‘Almost impossible to police’

The huge problem was addressed on Sunrise on Thursday morning, with NSW Customer Service Minister Victor Dominello admitting it would be next to impossible to enforce.

“I accept that it will be almost impossible to police, but other states and territories have gone down this path, South Australia and the Northern Territory and the ACT and Tasmania,” he said.

“But the reality is, it is primarily a signal to say that we take this seriously, because we really want people to register their rapid antigen tests so they can access healthcare.

“99 per cent or over 99 per cent of people that get Covid-19 will have mild symptoms and can be treated at home. But there will be that 1 per cent or less that require additional healthcare and if we can get that information to health then we can keep people safe.”