Morrison doesn't want to undercut Pharmacy's

[bender]

By handing out free Rapid Antigen Test Kits, stating that the Government has spent enough getting Harvey Norman, I mean the Australian people through this

What is it about Summer and this guy. He doesn't hold the hose during the bushfire now he doesn't want to do the Pharmacist out of a sale.

He says that the Government has spent hundreds of billions of dollars on the Pandemic and the Australian people are going to have to pay that back because he can't possibly ask the Companies that took hundreds of millions of Government benefits that it turned out they weren't eligible for to pay those funds back.

Morrison says that Labor Leader Anthony Albanese is always complaining after the event. I mean he even complained when I lied about me notifying him that I scarpered OS during the middle of one of Australia's largest natural disasters the Prime Minister said, I don't hit the send message button, (Jenny has to for liability reasons).

[pim]

Sounds like something from The Shovel. Here’s another one …

Morrison finally responds to exploding case numbers by announcing delicious new korma curry

www.theshovel.com.au/2021/12/29/morrison-case-numbers-korma-curry/

With the nation facing its highest COVID case numbers ever, and testing facilities stretched to their limit, PM Scott Morrison made an urgent address to the nation this afternoon to announce a new Sri Lankan curry which he says is now one of his favourites.

“It’s curry night!” Mr Morrison said, as daily national case numbers climbed towards 20,000 and lines for PCR testing continued to stretch to more than five hours.

Asked whether his government would be coordinating the purchase of rapid antigen tests, Mr Morrison said this particular curry went well with jasmine rice, although basmati rice would work as a substitute if necessary. “Feel free to add your own personal touches – whatever works for you,” he said.

Mr Morrison rejected claims he always ran away from a crisis, saying just last week his family had run out of coconut milk. “And I was quite decisive about it. I asked Jen to immediately buy some more,” he said.

Adelaide resident John Radison said he had been in a testing queue for more than 6 hours, the perfect simmering time for a chickpea and vegetable masala, according to the Prime Minister.

[ponto]

They is sinkin'...sinkin' and stinkin' fast.

[pim]

Not yet, but they’d better do better ….

[matte]

I'm glad RATs aren't being handed out free to anyone. The only people who should get them without cost are those with symptoms and genuine close contacts.

Everyone else should pay.

Diabetics have to pay for their blood glucose level strips!

My brother who is one of those left winged hypochondriac types was one of the people who went straight to the pharmacy to buy a RAT. I questioned him why. I asked him if he had symptoms. He said no. He was literally testing himself everyday for no reason other than the Norman Swan types of the world have worked the left up into hysteria.

It is like a virgin woman going to buy one of those over the counter pregnancy tests.

No, they should not be free. There must be a price signal.

[pim]

Jan 3, 2022 15:33:17 GMT 10 matte said:

I'm glad RATs aren't being handed out free to anyone. The only people who should get them without cost are those with symptoms and genuine close contacts.

Everyone else should pay.

Diabetics have to pay for their blood glucose level strips!

On the point of rapid antigen tests …

Morrison’s penny-pinching on COVID tests doesn’t add up

Andrew Tillet, Political correspondent, 3 January 2022, www.afr.com/politics/federal/morrison-s-penny-pinching-on-covid-tests-doesn-t-add-up-20220103-p59lie

Having spent hundreds of billions to prop up businesses and keep people employed and billions more on vaccines and testing, Scott Morrison’s sudden penny-pinching over relatively cheap rapid antigen tests is politically perilous.

First up, the maths doesn’t make sense. In the Prime Minister’s own words, a rapid antigen test (RAT) costs just $15 at the shops. (In the UK, they’re free under the NHS)

Yet taxpayers continue to foot the bill for the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) nasal and throat swabs that have become uncomfortably familiar over the past two years, even though those tests are much more expensive.

Private pathology providers receive a rebate of $85 from the government, while the state-run clinics receive $42.50 for each test. And remember, the Morrison government in late November overrode the Queensland government’s stance that otherwise healthy travellers should pay for a private COVID-19 test to enter the Sunshine State. Was that a matter of principle in the belief in free testing, or just a politically convenient fight to pick with a state Labor government? Incidentally, those free “tourist tests” were blamed in large part for the collapse of the PCR system leading into Christmas.

Morrison is going halves with the states on the cost of rapid antigen tests to ensure they are free for people captured by public health orders, such as close contacts or displaying COVID symptoms. Essentially the fight is over whether asymptomatic people should get free tests. But if omicron is as mild as experts say it is, free tests are an important part of the toolkit for people to treat themselves at home rather than add to pressure on the health system.

While experts have been talking about the importance of rapid antigen tests as part of the response to COVID-19, governments have been flat-footed in ensuring adequate supplies. But with the buying power and lack of a profit motive from the federal government, the cost would be even lower than the PM’s $15 benchmark. At a time when consumers are nervous about going out, and businesses are forced to stay shut because staff are having to isolate, making tests widely available for free would boost confidence and stimulate the economy.

It is a classical multiplier effect. A family of four is more likely to spend the day and their dollars at Westfield Bondi Junction if they know their fellow shoppers are probably not going to make them sick.

Free tests are an important psychological tool too. As admirable as the PM and NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet have been in trying to shift the public mindset to “living with the virus”, there is still a significant chunk in thrall to the doomsday predictions. Supplying tests for free would be a stepping stone as the people get used to the virus circulating in the community.

Anthony Albanese
@albo MP

One year ago - Always too little, too late...



9:46 PM · Jan 2, 2022

Health Minister Greg Hunt seems to suggest the government is afraid the lack of a price signal will lead to scenes like the great dunny paper run of 2020, with people hoarding free tests. Sure there might be an initial rush if boxes of tests were left unguarded on supermarket shelves, but most consumers are sensible and would only take what they need. Or you could think of distribution channels such as mailing kits to homes, or sending vouchers to people’s check in apps to claim tests.

Finally, Labor’s twin lines of attack last year – that the PM bungled vaccines and quarantine – had lost potency as the population got vaccinated and border restrictions ended. But Labor has seized upon the lack of rapid antigen tests as fresh evidence Morrison is failing in his job. With just months until the election, for the sake of saving a few billion dollars, Morrison risks turning the issue of testing into a test of his pandemic management.

[matte]

I have told my brother that he is suffering from hysteria with his use of RATs. A complete waste of money.

But socialist thought is incredibly hard to shake out of a person.

[caskur]

I think people should pay for their tests.

[caskur]

The government didn't bungle anything... the people disregarding the seriousness of covid did. They're usually the young and dumb and full of ____. I hope they're enjoying their self inflicted infection. Of course this also means the survivors have true herd immunity.

[fat]

"Morrison’s penny-pinching on COVID tests doesn’t add up"

Ah - but it does - the results don't add to the "Official" figures as they self isolate. Lower reporting means better results.

Trouble for the government is that in spite of the spin; the official figures are growing exponentially (and this because of the deceitful advice that all was well - go out live as if the covid is fixed)

[matte]

Why should businesses who ordered the tests in lose out on selling them?

If I was Gerry Harvey I would be furious if the government started posting them out to everyone.

[pim]

Jan 4, 2022 20:47:38 GMT 10 matte said:

Why should businesses who ordered the tests in lose out on selling them?

If I was Gerry Harvey I would be furious if the government started posting them out to everyone.

[caskur]

the tests cost $8 to manufacture .... that or rounded up to $10 should be what they cost.

[pim]

Jan 8, 2022 5:29:10 GMT 10 caskur said:

the tests cost $8 to manufacture .... that or rounded up to $10 should be what they cost.

Government to allow Australians to dip into super to pay for RATs



www.theshovel.com.au/2022/01/05/government-dip-into-super-rats/

The Federal Government has finally addressed concerns that rapid antigen tests are unaffordable for those on low incomes, passing new legislation that will allow Australians to access their superannuation early to pay for the tests.

Spokesperson for the new initiative, Tim Wilson, said Australians shouldn’t have the money they’ve earned locked away when it could be used for the fun things they want, like essential healthcare.

“Sure, dipping into superannuation might ruin your future prospects, but then so might contracting COVID, so this is a sensible, balanced plan. If only there was a way to ensure people could have both their super and their health”.

Critics say the plan won’t work, pointing out that the cost to buy RATs for a family of four is more than the average superannuation balance. But Mr Wilson said people could choose how they pay for the tests. “If you don’t want to access your super, that’s fine. Sell one of your investment properties if that matches your financial goals better”.

Labor Leader Anthony Albanese has slammed the plan, saying his party would also allow early access to super to pay for the tests.

[caskur]

anything that stops idiots over-using them is a good thing....

[caskur]

It's funny how they want our investments and nest eggs.

Anyone with secret squirrel accounts will have to use them, if they haven't already.