Chemist Warehouse calls for change on tests

The boss of Chemist Warehouse has called for GST to be removed on rapid antigen tests saying they should be “as affordable as possible”.

Director Mario Tascone said the outlet was experiencing unprecedented demand for the testing kits and had been limiting them to two per customer.

“When you’ve got 25 million people that all want a rapid antigen test in the space of a week, that’s impossible,” Mr Tascone told Sydney radio station 2GB on Monday.

However, he wanted the government to get rid of the GST on the product to make them more affordable.

“They’ll be 10 per cent cheaper overnight,” he said.

“It’s not much. That’s one thing they can do immediately.

“The thought that the government is making 10 per cent off millions of millions of packets of sales of rapid antigen tests doesn’t really sit right.”

Mr Tascone said rapid antigen tests should be made free to vulnerable Australians who couldn’t afford them.

“They really need to be as affordable as possible and everyone else can just buy them without the GST,” he said.

Earlier on Monday, Prime Minister Scott Morrison again ruled out making rapid antigen Covid tests free.

Mr Morrison said Australia was now at a stage of the pandemic where not everything could be made free.

“We already make them free to everyone who is required to have one,” Mr Morrison told Sunrise on Monday.

“They are also tax-deductible.

“We are now at this stage of the pandemic we just cannot make everything free because when someone tells you they will make something free, someone will always pay for it, and it is going to be you.”

Rapid antigen tests are only free if you’re a close contact, symptomatic or in aged care or state government health settings.

Mr Morrison, however, said plans were underway to finalise concessional arrangements for pensioners.