❓ A WA parliamentary question scrutinises the government's procurement and management of Rapid Antigen Tests (RATs) during the COVID-19 pandemic, focusing on potential overspending and wastage. The government defends its approach as vital for public health.
AnsweredQoN 438Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
CORONAVIRUS — RAPID ANTIGEN TESTS —
PROCUREMENT PROCESS
438. Hon JAMES HAYWARD to the Leader of the House
representing the Minister for Health:
I refer to the Auditor General's
report relating to COVID-19 impacts.
(1) Can the
minister explain how panic buying $440 million worth of rapid antigen test kits
is another example of the McGowan government's world-leading COVID-19
management?
(2) Notwithstanding
the information available at the time of the purchases of the RAT kits in 2022,
does the government concede that it overestimated community demand for RAT kits
considering currently available information in 2023?
(3) What policies
and procedures will be implemented to ensure that panic buying of items by
government does not happen again?
(4) How have the
2.7 million RAT kits that expired in March 2023 been disposed of and what was
the cost of that disposal?
The PRESIDENT : Honourable
member, after conferring on standing order 105 and whether that seeks an
opinion, I will give the call to the Leader of the House in the hope that she
may be able to answer the question, noting that that part of the question may
be ruled out of order next.
PROCUREMENT PROCESS
438. Hon JAMES HAYWARD to the Leader of the House
representing the Minister for Health:
I refer to the Auditor General's
report relating to COVID-19 impacts.
(1) Can the
minister explain how panic buying $440 million worth of rapid antigen test kits
is another example of the McGowan government's world-leading COVID-19
management?
(2) Notwithstanding
the information available at the time of the purchases of the RAT kits in 2022,
does the government concede that it overestimated community demand for RAT kits
considering currently available information in 2023?
(3) What policies
and procedures will be implemented to ensure that panic buying of items by
government does not happen again?
(4) How have the
2.7 million RAT kits that expired in March 2023 been disposed of and what was
the cost of that disposal?
The PRESIDENT : Honourable
member, after conferring on standing order 105 and whether that seeks an
opinion, I will give the call to the Leader of the House in the hope that she
may be able to answer the question, noting that that part of the question may
be ruled out of order next.
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(4) The
ordering of RATs and the supply made available across the community was
instrumental in delivering a soft landing for WA, and our free RATs continue to
provide an important role across the community today. RATs continue to be
provided and made available to the WA health system and the Western Australian
community through a variety of distribution channels, including schools and
pop-up sites. No self-test RATs have expired
to date; 2.7 professional-use RATs for clinical use only have expired .
At a critical time when RATs were scarce across Australia, only WA provided a comprehensive
free RAT program for everyone—a vital public health measure.
ordering of RATs and the supply made available across the community was
instrumental in delivering a soft landing for WA, and our free RATs continue to
provide an important role across the community today. RATs continue to be
provided and made available to the WA health system and the Western Australian
community through a variety of distribution channels, including schools and
pop-up sites. No self-test RATs have expired
to date; 2.7 professional-use RATs for clinical use only have expired .
At a critical time when RATs were scarce across Australia, only WA provided a comprehensive
free RAT program for everyone—a vital public health measure.
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