The Opposition leader says it is easier for some communities to catch COVID than find a rapid antigen test under another Morrison Government failure.
Mr Albanese referred to a moment when the Prime Minister noted the challenges faced by Australians in the pandemic as he watched the, saying “… this is Australia living with the virus, look at out there and Australians taking wickets with the virus”.
Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, the Opposition leader stressed “no one in aged care is taking wickets with the virus”."When people saw Scott Morrison there on TV being flippant saying ‘We’re living with COVID, we’re taking wickets with the virus’, they’re entitled to be quite angry and frustrated at the failure of this government to put in place the mechanisms that were required.” Labor leader Anthony Albanese has taken aim at the Prime Minister again over the severe shortage of rapid antigen tests. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Daniel Pockett Mr Albanese also highlighted the severe shortage of rapid antigen tests with Australians warned delays could continue for weeks to come as the government attempts to shore up enough supply. “In too many areas there are a lack of rapid antigen tests. That means that our elderly loved ones have been left isolated, unable to see loved ones, unable to see the workers who are looking after them,” he said. “But with this Government, the truth is that in so many communities, it is easier to get COVID than it is to find a rapid antigen test. And that's not good enough. “This Prime Minister is characterised by always waiting for a problem to become a crisis before he acts. What I say is, we need to actually do this better. We need to plan ahead. We need to listen to the advice.”The Labor leader’s comments come amid a warning from a Melbourne epidemiologist to the elderly population to impose their own personal lockdown ahead of the predicted peak of the Omicron wave. Head of the epidemiological modelling unit at Monash University, James Trauer, said the situation looked “a lot more positive than it was a few weeks ago” with the country facing an “endemic state” where community transmission occurred “indefinitely”. He warned, however, as hospitals expect to be strained with the peak due to arrive in coming weeks elderly Australians should take greater care to avoid contact with the virus. “Shield yourself away, try to minimise your contacts and really avoid getting COVID at the peak of this wave,” he encouraged.
Australia Latest News, Australia Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Australia sending flight to Tonga as tsunami impact remains unclearAustralia is sending a surveillance flight to Tonga, as the damage caused by the Tsunami sparked by a huge undersea volcanic eruption remains unclear because communications are still down.
Read more »
‘Social cohesion’: PM and minister welcome court’s Djokovic decisionScott Morrison said the government’s push to remove the tennis star from the country had been made “on health, safety and good order grounds”. Djokovic AustralianOpen
Read more »
‘Social cohesion’: PM and minister welcome court’s Djokovic decisionScott Morrison said the government’s push to remove the tennis star from the country had been made “on health, safety and good order grounds”.
Read more »
Novak Djokovic deported for trying to breach Australia’s border rules, PM says‘It’s as simple as that,’ Scott Morrison says, despite immigration minister not disputing tennis star’s belief he had valid vaccination exemption
Read more »
Coalition primary vote drops below Labor’s for the first time: Resolve surveySoaring virus infections have fuelled a backlash against Prime Minister ScottMorrisonMP over his handling of the pandemic, slashing the Coalition’s primary vote from 39 to 34 per cent, writes CroweDM
Read more »