South-west councils refuse to provide free RATs to vulnerable people

In mid-November the Victorian government launched a council RAT program to boost accessibility by making free tests available at council-run facilities like libraries and customer service desks.

A government spokesperson said all Victorian councils were invited to join the program in November, and almost all councils did, but Corangamite Shire and Colac-Otway Shire declined the offer, Moyne Shire said it wasn't told about it, and Warrnambool City Council is yet to commit.

Under the program, the government provides the council with as many free tests as it needs and eligible people can collect the tests from council sites.

People with a disability, or their carers, can collect 20 RATs per visit, while those aged over 70 or holding a seniors, pensioners, health care, or veterans' card can collect five tests at a time.

The government launched the program to maintain testing accessibility for vulnerable community members as government-run testing centres are wound up across the state and PCR testing is scaled back further, requiring a doctor's referral from January 1.

The Standard asked the south-west councils why they refused to sign up to the program, especially as Victoria faced a new COVID-19 wave and regional hospitals were under extreme pressure.

Corangamite Shire Council environment and emergency manager Lyall Bond said tests were available through schools and retailers like chemists and supermarkets, and the council believed the community had "sufficient access".

He said it wasn't the council's job to provide tests.

"Corangamite chose not to participate because we believe it is the state government's role to distribute RATs, not council's."

While all councils were invited to sign up in November, a Moyne Shire spokesperson said the council had only found out about it on December 2.

The Standard asked the council on Tuesday morning why it hadn't signed up to the scheme. Later that day the council decided to participate "after consultation with staff".

Like Moyne, Warrnambool City Council made no commitment after being invited to join the program.

On Tuesday the council was still unsure whether to sign up, but by Wednesday afternoon a spokesperson said the council had "expressed an interest in being involved", but was awaiting more information from the government.