The Australian Industry Group said with the surge of omicron cases and the burden facing testing sites, national cabinet needs to come up with a better solution to avoid more economic pain for Australia’s businesses and industry just finding their feet again after a year of interruptions due to restrictions and lockdowns.
“With Australia’s testing resources under immense strain and with the anxiety, inconvenience and costs of queuing and waiting for reports rising steeply, it’s time to use our testing capabilities in a much more effective way,” said Innes Willox, chief executive of the national employer association Ai Group.
“Three barriers to addressing this escalating problem are multiple PCR testing for internal travel; overly-cautious definitions of close contacts; and RAT hesitancy on the part of some of the states.”
Mr Willox said although there have been some moves by national cabinet to address the problems now facing businesses and consumers there needs to be more done in regard to a national consensus on definitions of close contacts.
“Testing queues have been unquestionably lengthened by multiple PCR test requirements for internal travellers and overly-cautious definitions of close contacts. Both risk discouraging people who should be tested from being tested at all; they impose extra anxiety and costs due to delays in reporting test results; and they delay preventative action being taken following positive results,” he said.
“Further, hesitancy by some states over the use of Rapid Antigen Testing (RAT), which provides an ATAGI-approved alternative screen when PCR testing is under such strain, is difficult to comprehend.
“Steps towards a common and not-overly cautious definition of close contacts are welcome but too slow.
“While more data needs to be collected and the jury is still out on the impacts of Omicron, there is a clear risk that current reactions to the variant are not only out of proportion to the threat, they are blocking our vital testing resources at the time when we most need them to be working as effectively as possible. What is required is a calm determination to react sensibly and proportionally to risks rather than overreacting and imposing unnecessary costs out of fear.”
