Local LNP Senator Paul Scarr said:
“This is not the time for political point-scoring.
“It is important through the pandemic that people get the right information.
“The Federal government is providing 10 million rapid antigen tests (RATs) to the States over coming weeks and over the next few months more than 100 million RATs will be coming to Australia.
“The Federal government is providing 6.6 million Australians on low incomes with 10 tests each over the next three months, meaning 66 million will be delivered, in conjunction with the States, through pharmacies.
“The Federal government has also taken urgent action to prevent price-gouging in relation to RATs, which is important to ensure everyone has access to RATs on a reasonable basis.”
Senator Scarr said everyone knows Queensland’s public hospitals and ambulances have been under pressure for years and well before the additional pressures from COVID-19.
“The State health system is responsibility of the Palaszczuk government and as highlighted by the Queensland Auditor General, the system is in crisis, due to funding cuts of more than $400 million.”
Senator Scarr said the citizens of Ipswich, Somerset Region and Karana Downs would be better served if Mr Neumann ceased political point-scoring and advocated for more beds in our public health system, which is the responsibility of the Labor State government.
“Mr Neumann should be heeding the advice from AMA Queensland president Professor Chris Perry about the Palaszczuk Government’s failure to redress hospital bed shortages – with the AMA estimating our State is short of 1500 hospital beds which leads to on-going, chronic ambulance ramping outside our hospitals, including at Ipswich.
“Professor Perry is not a politician, rather a highly-respected medical expert who works in the public health system.”
