Thread by @iMusing

the political economy of Morrison’s decision to enable price gouging and deny RATs to everyone who cannot afford $10 or $20 or $50 per test.

thenewdaily.com.au/finance/2022/0…

it is the usual combination. Liberal Party political decisions enrich client donors and the shareholder base, people who want for nothing plus breathtakingly wasteful use of public cash, costing far more than every other option, making poor people sick and rich people richer.

as well as the eyewateringly wasteful spending of public money, there is of course the bone idle laziness, hopeless incompetence, and stubborn refusal to lift a finger for anyone outside the Coalition class.

they give $85 per PCR test to private pathology labs and could - but refuse to - lower the spread by distributing RATs purchased in bulk for $5 each. Classic Liberal Party economic management, which every major media outlet lies about, every day.

it is always the same routine. Morrison government makes decision that benefits a minuscule number of people and causes mass harm. Morrison makes statement claiming the opposite. Media report his lies as verified fact (he said it, that is fact. He is PM, that is newsworthy).

worth amplifying the fact that public pathology labs are far more efficient, are much better value for money, than privately owned for-profit pathology labs. Just like public servants are better value for money than private sector consultancies. So here we are.