Tasmanians struggle to find RATs while Gutwein ships supply to Morrison

Tasmanian Labor

The Gutwein Government has sold a shipment of extremely rare Rapid Antigen Tests to Canberra as Tasmanians continue to struggle to get their hands on the vital COVID detection kits.

Labor Leader Rebecca White said tender documents published by the Federal Department of Agriculture, Water and Environment revealed it had paid the Tasmanian Department of Health and Human Services more than $30,000 for the supply of RATs at the same time Premier Gutwein urged locals to register for the tests which are in extremely limited supply.

“Tasmanians are being told every day by the Premier to register for RATs through the public health hotline but even those who are registering are finding they are not available,” Ms White said.

“Pharmacies are sold out and experiencing long delays in sourcing new supplies and the Morrison Government’s promise to supply free tests to the most vulnerable is failing at the first hurdle.

“Mr Gutwein knows this.

“But it appears Mr Gutwein is more interested in helping Scott Morrison than he is in helping Tasmanians.

“With large numbers of COVID cases in the community continuing to be detected and with thousands of people forced to isolate, it’s critical they are able to source RATs.

“Tasmanians in regional and rural communities as well as in bigger population centres simply cannot get hold of them.

“Mr Gutwein’s promise was to get RATs delivered by courier directly to Tasmanian’s doors.

“So why is Mr Gutwein delivering them instead to Canberra?

“Can he explain why testing kits intended for Tasmanians are now instead the property of Mr Morrison?”

Rebecca White MP

Labor Leader

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