Federal member for Gilmore, Fiona Phillips, is again calling on the Prime Minister to change his stance and make Rapid Antigen Testing kits freely available calling it “un-Australian” that some people will have to pay.
“My Office is being contacted repeatedly from people of genuine need, but they do not qualify as “concession card holders”, Mrs Phillips said.
“Take the example of Monica Bailey of Bomaderry, diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis, unable to keep working and pending an application for NDIS support she does not qualify for a Health Care Card. It’s just not good enough”, Mrs Phillips said.
Quoting Monica, “I don’t want handouts, but I do expect my government to help people like me, having an autoimmune disease it puts me at a much higher risk of having a severe disease.”
Mrs Phillips urging “Scott Morrison’s proposal on rapid testing is to make a handful of tests free for a handful of people. Nobody should be denied a test because they can’t afford one… PCR tests are free for everyone through Medicare, RATs should be too.”
“This is all being handled in a manner consistent with the way the Prime Minister handled the bushfires two years ago and the way he handled the vaccine roll-out last year, way too little, and far too late, Mrs Phillips concluded.
Above: "There must be something about Fridays! My office has been inundated with calls that the government is letting people and businesses fall through the cracks. Where is the support? Rapid antigen tests should be free and available through Medicare so people are protected."
