Fiona Phillips (Gilmore, Australian Labor Party) | Link to this | Hansard source

The chronically ill and disabled are being left behind in the rat race imposed on us by the Morrison government. Vulnerable Australians are being forced into hiding at home, and lower income workers are skipping meals because of the cost of rapid COVID tests. My office is being contacted repeatedly by people in genuine need, but they do not qualify as concession cardholders. Take the example of constituent Monica of Bomaderry, who was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis and unable to keep working. Pending an application for NDIS support, she does not qualify for a healthcare card.

In a joint statement on the need for free and accessible rapid antigen tests to protect public health and the economy, the Australian Council of Social Services said:

Rapid Antigen Tests are an essential tool in managing this pandemic and stopping the spread of the virus, allowing us to keep COVID-19 out of homes, workplaces and public venues.

No-one should be excluded from getting a rapid antigen test. Our health system is based upon the principle of Medicare—that people get the health care they need when they require it.

Local businesses and workers need access to free rapid antigen tests. They have been through so much, and the government needs to support them. It's just not good enough. The government must act urgently to provide free and accessible rapid antigen tests to keep our communities safe from the virus.