ERROL PARKER | Editor-at-large | Contact
The Federal Treasurer Josh Frydenberg has once again resisted calls to make rapid antigen tests free for all Australians because doing so would harm the private businesses that bought them all.
In a speech today to business leaders in Canberra, Mr Frydenberg explained that the government’s policy of “Can Do Capitalism” is working and simply giving tests out for free is not what that mantra is about.
“Sick people wandering all over our cities, from pharmacy to pharmacy, postcode to postcode. That’s Can Do Capitalism,” he said.
“By making these rapid antigen tests free, we are moving the goalposts. Hundreds of medium to large corporations, and small ones, have gambled on these tests becoming in demand. They have invested, in some cases, millions of dollars on these tests,”
“You have business leaders, such as Gerry Harvey, providing a great service to the nation by making sure his businesses had rapid antigen tests to sell to the everyday Australian. All this money goes back into the economy. Over the weekend, Mr Harvey was at the Magic Millions on the Gold Coast. He was spending money. That’s how capitalism works,”
“The government is not in the business of hurting businesses who have had a go.”
Mr Frydenberg went on to suggest that people need to start taking responsibility for themselves and to stop begging the government for help all the time.
“We are not your Dad,” he said.
“You are a grown-up and if you can’t afford to buy these tests, then you clearly aren’t having a go. We give them to people with a bludger card, that’s fair enough. But if you’re an able-bodied man or woman or whatever and you can’t find room in your weekly budget for a rapid antigen test then God help you. Testing yourself for the super infectious headcold going around is the least of your worries.”
More to come.
