Mr Bailey said he would ask the ACCC to investigate any connection between the Motion One Pty Ltd contract and any cancelled supplies of rapid antigen tests.
“We are happy to co-operate with any investigation,” Mr Bailey said.
“One thing is certain, the Morrison government now has a multimillion-dollar stockpile of rapid antigen tests, and the dozens of doctors, chemists, essential workers and everyday Australians that ordered that same product don’t.”
Mr Bailey said the federal government should have ordered RAT tests for Australia seven months ago “like other nations did”.
Motion One Pty Ltd issued a statement on Friday afternoon saying it had not diverted RATs meant for other contractors to the federal government.
Chief executive Austyn Campbell, who could not be contacted directly, said the company had discovered through “third parties” that one customer was claiming its contracted supplies had been diverted to the federal government.
Ms Campbell said the company had demanded a retraction because there had been no action by the federal government.
The company’s statement did not clarify why existing contracts – like the Queensland Rail contract – had not been filled.
Federal Health minister Greg Hunt told ABC Radio on Friday morning many suppliers “have over-promised”.
Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt rejected claims rapid antigen tests were being diverted to the federal government and says supply problems are due to suppliers over-promising. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen
“That’s happened in the case of the Commonwealth, the states, the private sector, the community sector. And they’ve made false statements, and they are being reported and have been referred to the ACCC,” Mr Hunt said.
A spokeswoman for Mr Hunt said the “emergency tender provisions” meant the supply of RATs could be filled faster than six months, “which is a general tender timeframe.”
She reiterated no federal biosecurity legislation had been activated to require the products to be taken from suppliers by the federal government.
Mr Bailey said he wanted the ACCC to investigate because two contracts for RATs ordered by Queensland Rail had still not been filled and others were similarly affected.
“There are at least five suppliers who state their RAT stock was taken by the Morrison government, and the one thing they all have in common is the same product, that being the Orawell COVID-19 rapid antigen test,” he said.
“There is only one sponsor of this product into Australia and that is a company called Motion One.”
Queensland prepares dossier for ACCC over state’s missing rapid tests
Source: Philippines Alive
