Anika Wells MP on 4BC with Scott Emerson

E&OE TRANSCRIPT
RADIO INTERVIEW
4BC DRIVE WITH SCOTT EMERSON
FRIDAY, 21 JANUARY 2022
 
SUBJECTS: Rapid tests/supply chain issues; Scrapping QR codes; WA border remaining closed. 

SCOTT EMERSON, HOST: And so we have now Labor member for Lilley, Anika Wells. How are you Anika?

ANIKA WELLS, MEMBER FOR LILLEY: Tremendous. How are you, Scott?

EMERSON: I'm always well on a Friday when I get to talk to you two. And the LNP member for Ryan, Julian Simmons. How are you, Julian?

JULIAN SIMMONDS, MEMBER FOR RYAN: Good, Scott. Good to be with your listeners.

EMERSON: Well, let's start off with you, Julian. Look, there has been a pretty big stoush this week between the State government and the Federal government over RAT kits. The rapid antigen tests. We saw the State government start the week by saying that the Federal government had diverted away kits from the state, to its own supplies. The Prime Minister and Greg Hunt came out and refuted that completely. But this is the thing that I think for most listeners out there. They just are sick and tired of the kind of squabbling over these issues. Is this just a bit of a political stoush or who is telling the porkys on this one?

SIMMONDS: Well, I can tell you that any claim that the Commonwealth is diverting RAT tests for its own use, is a total Labor lie. But it is a focus for the government, ensuring that there is more RAT tests available. And there's over 50 million due to arrive on our shores in the next month, on government sponsored flights. So you know, your local pharmacies, and the rest will be getting new deliveries regularly. But of course then they're selling out. So we're just asking people to be patient and caring and kind as they go about this. But we appreciate their patience and it's a focus to make sure that we get more onshore as quickly as possible.

EMERSON: Well Anika, Labor and the Palaszczuk government, they've been sticking to their guns. Still saying it's all about the Feds’ mismanagement and diverting away supplies from Queensland.

WELLS: Conversely, I've got pharmacies telling me that their suppliers say that their stocks have been diverted off to the Feds. So it is small businesses telling us is, not what Julian is saying. And I've got a pharmacy in Boondall that's got a waitlist of more than 600 people, by the time we speak, for a RAT kit - a one person, one test RAT kit coming in. It's an absolute debacle. And the Prime Minister was saying in October that we would need RAT kits. The Prime Minister was saying in October that he was using RAT kits. So why is it the case now that government MPs, Julian, is asking us just to be patient while they get their act together? Their act together should have been months ago.

EMERSON: Well Julian, this issue is hurting the government, isn't it?

SIMMONDS: Well, look, it's something that we're focused on acutely this week. As we are focused on supply chain shortages, in a number of industries that we have to, have to work through. But as I said, there is over 50 million RAT tests coming onshore next month on government sponsored planes. But like in the instance that Anika mentioned about suppliers saying they've been diverted by the Commonwealth. They are false claims. Instead of playing politics, people should refer them to the government, the ACCC, so they can be investigated, because that’s untrue.

WELLS: No one is playing politics. No one is playing politics. Suppliers and pharmacists are talking to people…

SIMMONS: Well, well you are. Because we’ve said they’re not being diverted to the Commonwealth.

WELLS: Well, why should anyone trust the Morrison government at this point, instead of their own pharmacist?

SIMMONDS: Well, because those suppliers definitely aren’t telling the truth. So the ACCC have said there'll be significant penalties for people trying to divert RAT tests for their own purposes. And we need to make sure that that occurs, because they should be going to people who need them. They should be getting to the front line.

WELLS: I don't think anyone is buying what Scott Morrison is selling at this point on that. People are incandescent they can't get their hands on such an essential item as RAT kit. And having to queue or not queue for PCR tests. Just sit at home not knowing whether they’re positive.

SIMMONDS: Well what are you saying? If you need a test, right, if you need a test because you have symptoms you have, you can get a free test, which are funded by the State and then the Commonwealth Government in conjunction, at a State testing centre. If there's lines there, I agree, that’s something the State government should address. But you certainly can get a test if you have COVID symptoms or you’re a close contact. And any insinuation to the contrary, is simply not true.

EMERSON: Alright. Anika we’ll leave that one there. We'll park that one for the moment. I don't think we'll get any agreement on that. All I know is that people are concerned, are frustrated at the fact they can't get RAT kits out there. And they probably think that it's just another political stoush between the State and Federal governments. And now Anika - check-in apps. We've seen the Brisbane Lord Mayor and the Gold Coast Mayor both come out today and say, ‘Look, check-in apps. The government's not even checking the data. They're not publishing contact tracing.’ They say, just don't use it anymore. No point anymore. The check-in apps. Are you still using it?

WELLS: I am. I am. And I'm in a vulnerable category. And I know many other people who are in vulnerable categories out there. Check-in apps really at this point with the contagion at the level it is, is our last way of knowing that the people that we will be in and around, when we check into a venue, are vaccinated.

EMERSON: But it's not just, we're not talking here about looking for the green tick. We're actually doing about checking in. That's not being used, that data. The state government has admitted. It's not using it to contact tracing at all. That's the part we're talking about here. Is there any point, Julian Simmons, continuing to use check-in apps? Not just looking at the green tick, but actually checking in, if the government's not using that information?

SIMMONDS: Look, I check in if the place I'm visiting asks me to. But I gotta say, I'm not religious about it. If they’re not contact tracing anymore, and they’re not notifying you of hotspots, then I’m probably with Mayor Schrinner. I'm not, I'm not sure what the point of the check-in app is. I certainly show my vaccination certificate. I’ve got the federal government vaccination certificate on my, you know, Apple Wallet app on my phone. So I show that, that's fine. But I'm not quite sure what’s the point of the check-in. People have been very patient throughout Covid and having to do a whole lot of new rules and regulations. And people have been very supportive of that, because they see a purpose. But I'm not sure continuing this, check-in app, just because it’s there. When they're not using the data is much point to anyone.

EMERSON: Look Anika Wells, I appreciate you saying that you want to make sure people are vaccinated, are going to certain venues. So as long as they are showing their vaccination certificate, is there any need to doing the check-in part of it?

WELLS: Well, yeah, because the other function of the check-in is that if one…if there is a super spreader event, one of the ways that various authorities used to contact people and trace people is the check-in app. I appreciate what you're saying about contact tracing not being what it used to be, you know, before Christmas. But in the event of the super spreader event, that is still what the check-in is being used for. And I for one have no…

EMERSON: I'm just not aware that's actually happening at the moment. I’m just not aware that’s happening at the moment, in the middle of Omicron. No one's been told, this is what's happened. This person has been to this place or that place.

WELLS: For super spreader events it is. Have you been to a super spreader event Scott? Well then how would you know?

EMERSON: Not…I think Omicron is wild out there. I don't think anyone's being told about that at the moment. 

WELLS: Well, that's what I've been told. That in the event of the super spreader event, they contact everybody who checked in at the venue. And I think if you are in various vulnerable categories, mild, moderate or aggressive, you want to know that you've got as much insurance as possible against Omicron. And I don't think given the whole exercise takes less than 10 seconds to check in, that it's too much to ask.

EMERSON: Alright then. Now Western Australian premier Mark McGowan. Overnight, he announced that the planned February 5threopening of his state that's been scrapped, indefinitely at this stage. Julian Simmons, Mark McGowan, he rang Anthony Albanese, well he spoke to Anthony Albanese last night to give him the heads up. I don't understand that…I understand…I didn't understand that he gave Scott Morrison the heads up on that one. But what do you think about this decision?

SIMMONDS: Well, I feel sorry for the families, I guess. You know, there would have been people making plans based on that, on that date. Counting on that date to either visit Western Australia or to join their family in other states for weddings or funerals or other milestones and birthdays. And people want to get on with the milestones of their life and celebrate together. So the fact that those plans have been thrown into disarray yet again, I feel terribly sorry for. But I guess this is up to Mark McGowan, about how long he’s going to keep their borders shut. If you want a hard border, there'll always be another benchmark to meet right? And his latest benchmark is wanting third doses at a certain percentage. But he points to us as having, you know, COVID coming through the state, but we're learning to live with it. And you know, we’re living relatively freely with it. And I just don't know, understand why he's delaying the inevitable forever,

EMERSON: Anika, what's your response to Labor's Mark McGowan making that decision?

WELLS: Well, I've been speaking to my colleagues in the West today in the run up to speaking with you and Julian. And they say that a lot of stakeholders are really relieved. Aged care providers are relieved at this news. Because watching what's happening in the eastern states, they realise they're not ready for what's coming. Same with the hospitality industry. So I think different groups will have different feelings about it. I appreciate there are many families out there, you know, who are devastated by it. But there's also 752 families in Australia who have lost someone to COVID this week. So it's a really difficult time for everybody. But if you look at how West Australians have voted at the recent election, they have strongly endorsed the Premier's approach and I think us Queenslanders should maybe trust the West Australians on this one.

EMERSON: Anika Wells from Labor and Julian Simmons from the LNP. Thanks for joining us on Question Time. We'll catch you both next week.
 
WELLS: Stay safe out there.

SIMMONDS: Thanks very much.

ENDS