Mr Hunt said alongside importing more internationally manufactured kits, the Government is focused on expanding the use of alternative tests recently developed in Australian laboratories.
The Doherty Institute in Melbourne has created an in-house testing method made from different components to the international commercial testing kits, which the Government hopes to roll out to other labs.Late on Tuesday, Defence Minister Linda Reynolds also revealed members of the Australian Defence Force would be used to help ramp up domestic production of fast-depleting medical equipment.
"These skilled soldiers are with the company's existing staff on production, maintenance and warehousing tasks," Senator Reynolds said. "When people go to university, they can borrow against the government and pay it back when their incomes rise, we should be doing that in this case right across the economy," he said.
Great! But why are we importing rather than manufacturing our own when so many people are out of work?
I people will now wear masks & gloves,when shopping Coles who have been so slack,& their staff also l refuse to shop there,with their ignorance,make up their own rules,should be closed down.l kept asking to have the Sanitised wipes in reach told,'' have your own'
what if other countries stop exporting? Can our leaders of the country think of being self reliant?
If ever there was a smack in the face moment for Australias reliance on imports the Coronavirus is it. Face masks from China, testing kits from America, other medical equipment from God knows where. We all need to pray that there is no China v USA conflict given the current chaos
Importing? why aren’t we producing our own?
Virus test kits will be like sanitary products on super market shelves.
Really! Think we need more than that.
Can Australia produce this domestically? Also how are we coping with the upcoming demand of masks? I remember when I was in China there has been mask shortage and many factories converted to produce masks (including FSK who produces iPhone)
Maybe the only good thing to come out of this is that we may start relying less on overseas products and start making something (besides toilet paper, thank goodness) here.
bad habit of the past is importing all products we need Now we have to prioritise ESSENTIAL manuf we must have locally Down to aluminium windows We have a smelter in Melb
Where are they coming from? No other country has enough either
How did someone know to produce so many testing kits in advance for a new virus?
Just 100k? Surely they have millions ordered right?
Scott Morrison is being a good leaderl do hope he helps families that pay rent of 400.00 a week if they contract the virus?
That's it? Lol Need millions
FatherBob Thats 4 days of testing in S Korea 😳
About bloody time but that’s not enough. What happened to being well prepared? What country can afford to spare them now? Thanks to them!
From China?
good old slow mo morrison
Boeufblogginon Should be importing at least 1 million Covid_19 testing kits.
Let's do the math... Australian population is 24+million and the government have ordered 100,000 testing kits... We might be coming up short me thinks
So 4 days worth if applied to Taiwan who test 25,000 per day? Pathetic
from where?
Let this be a lesson. Stop propping up China, make them here! We will pay a premium to keep work and money in Oz!
Only now ?
Did it take 8 weeks to get this order delivered or did they just realise they needed to stock up very late?
So this is what the delaying tactics were about…thought so. Wonder what the time line on this order is? When was the order placed?Do better LNP. covid19australia SackMorrison SportsRorts MorrisonFires AustralianDrought auspol
Umm, that’s going to last 4 days, based on the 25, 000 per day target, and WHO directive of ‘test, test, test’.
Erm... well that’s a start. It’s not a lot though is it?
I googled how does testing help. There is no cure so it does not help the patient, it also takes at least 2 days to get the results anyway. It is only useful as to how many have the virus & to advise the patient to self quarantine which most ignore anyway. Why bother?
Why only now
That's right, we don't manufacture anything in this country. MadeInChina
Reduced funding biting us on the arse, but not some ?
Who has said that there is a very strong correlation with high levels of testing and low deaths rates. We need to test test test
So when does the government step in on the food supplies to stop bullying and the threat of violence from people simply trying to do their weekly shopping or should they just move to higher ground !!!!!!!!!!!!! ?
Seems like 25.000.000 to few.
Everyone saying 100k is not enough hasn’t read the details in the article - read the article
Hope they ordered same again !! Test test test
Why only 100k? Is that just to test the super rich, LNP pollies and IPA members?
Good, calm & measured from now on please ABC, too much of your fright-bot/shock-jock Tweets are really not helpful. Of 30,000 Australians test the vast majority where given the all clear, leave the blame game for later please.
Probably importing them from China, like everything else!
Hmm lets pray for eradicated of this virus
Not enough, start pressuring this government they aren’t even testing everyone with symptoms
Where’s the rest of them? 100,000 wont last long. WHO saying test test test why didn’t we have them at the ready ?