Mr Tony Burke (Watson, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for the Arts) Share this | Hansard source

I seek leave to move the following motion:

That the House:

(1) notes:

  (a) the Prime Minister has refused to listen to calls to make rapid antigen tests free and accessible through the Medicare system for all Australians;

  (b) this means workers on modest wages have been forced to pay for their own tests, simply to be able to go to work, resulting in a pay cut for those workers;

  (c) more than 150,000 Australians have signed this ACTU petition calling for rapid antigen tests to be made free and accessible; and

  (d) the government should listen to these Australians, act now to make rapid antigen tests free and accessible through the Medicare system, to take pressure off family budgets, protect workers and get our economy moving again; and

(2) agrees that this petition may be tabled immediately by the Manager of Opposition Business.

Leave not granted.

I move:

That so much of the standing orders be suspended as would prevent me from moving the following motion immediately—That the House:

(1) notes:

  (a) the Prime Minister has refused to listen to calls to make rapid antigen tests free and accessible through the Medicare system for all Australians;

  (b) this means workers on modest wages have been forced to pay for their own tests, simply to be able to go to work, resulting in a pay cut for those workers;

  (c) more than 150,000 Australians have signed this ACTU petition calling for rapid antigen tests to be made free and accessible; and

  (d) the government should listen to these Australians, act now to make rapid antigen tests free and accessible through the Medicare system, to take pressure off family budgets, protect workers and get our economy moving again; and

(2) agrees that this petition may be tabled immediately by the Manager of Opposition Business.

Don't pretend you're supporting front-line workers when you're making them pay for their own test. They make modest wages and have to pay just to go to work!

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