Throughout the pandemic, Australians with a sniffle or other cold and flu symptoms have been encouraged to get a PCR test – a swab of their throat and the back of their nose, taken by a nurse or doctor.


This is then sent to a pathology laboratory for analysis.

So far, a total of 41.5 million COVID-19 PCR tests have been performed in Australia. Private companies that process the tests are paid a Medicare rebate of A$85 per test, up from A$28.65 at the start of the pandemic in March 2020.

Although pathology companies undoubtedly have high overhead costs, the sector has recorded massive profits as a consequence of COVID-19.

41 million x 85 is

3.2 billion dollars


thats more then the annual operating budget of qlds biggest 3 hospitals  ::) ::) ::) ::)

There's that 16 billion slush fund that's been budgeted.
And still a drop in a bucket compared to the payout to companies that didn't need jobkeeper.

Wonder how much it would have cost Australia if the borders had been closed PROPERLY in March, 2020 and Covid had been kept out of Australia?

Or, if Scotty from Marketing had done the job he was SUPPOSED to do and built proper quarantine facilities away from the major population centres nearly 2 years ago?

Even allowing for the inevitable lawsuits from the "we want the borders opened NOW!" brigade (because we need to make more $$$) I suspect the total cost wouldn't have been anywhere near 3.2 billion dollars.

Carl D wrote on Jan 5^th, 2022 at 6:07pm:

Wonder how much it would have cost Australia if the borders had been closed PROPERLY in March, 2020 and Covid had been kept out of Australia? Or, if Scotty from Marketing had done the job he was SUPPOSED to do and built proper quarantine facilities away from the major population centres nearly 2 years ago? Even allowing for the inevitable lawsuits from the "we want the borders opened NOW!" brigade (because we need to make more $$$) I suspect the total cost wouldn't have been anywhere near 3.2 billion dollars.

Quote:

if Scotty from Marketing

You do know that Scotty was a failure at marketing. In fact wasn't he accused of diddling the books or something?

Strange no mention from right whingers about the poor handling of jobkeeper.  That was a large transfer of public to private purses. more so than the medical expenditure of pcr testing.

aquascoot wrote on Jan 5^th, 2022 at 5:17pm:

41 million x 85 is 3.2 billion dollars thats more then the annual operating budget of qlds biggest 3 hospitals  ::) ::) ::) ::)

How much per life saved?

freediver wrote on Jan 6^th, 2022 at 11:38am:

aquascoot wrote on Jan 5th, 2022 at 5:17pm: 41 million x 85 is 3.2 billion dollars thats more then the annual operating budget of qlds biggest 3 hospitals  ::) ::) ::) ::) How much per life saved?

https://www.ozpolitic.com/forum/YaBB.pl?num=1639022525/373#373

We have a situation 😩

Code M?

Oh my sides.

freediver wrote on Jan 6^th, 2022 at 11:55am:

Code M?

Yes.

Code M.

Again 😩

I tried to bring the topic back on track but another M turned up. That M had an expletive attached to its id name.

aquascoot wrote on Jan 5^th, 2022 at 5:17pm:

41 million x 85 is 3.2 billion dollars thats more then the annual operating budget of qlds biggest 3 hospitals  ::) ::) ::) ::)

41,000,000 x 85 =

3,485,000,000

Year 9 maths, innit.

Lisa Jones wrote on Jan 6^th, 2022 at 11:56am:

freediver wrote on Jan 6th, 2022 at 11:55am: Code M? Yes. Code M. Again 😩 I tried to bring the topic back on track but another M turned up. That M had an expletive attached to its id name.

FLEADRIVER! Will you think of the children?!

Karnal wrote on Jan 6^th, 2022 at 11:57am:

aquascoot wrote on Jan 5th, 2022 at 5:17pm: 41 million x 85 is 3.2 billion dollars thats more then the annual operating budget of qlds biggest 3 hospitals  ::) ::) ::) ::) 41,000,000 x 85 = 3,485,000,000 Year 9 maths, innit.

No. Try yr 5.

freediver wrote on Jan 6^th, 2022 at 11:38am:

aquascoot wrote on Jan 5th, 2022 at 5:17pm: 41 million x 85 is 3.2 billion dollars thats more then the annual operating budget of qlds biggest 3 hospitals  ::) ::) ::) ::) How much per life saved?

what lives have been saved by this bizzare fetish for statistic gathering?

in the end , we are going for the herd immunity based on everyone getting it anyway.

why are they even bothering to test now?

just to employ more bean counters

Quote:

what lives have been saved by this bizzare fetish for statistic gathering?

Is that all you think it is used for? Or were you referring to your fetish for reducing the pandemic to numbers?

freediver wrote on Jan 6^th, 2022 at 12:26pm:

Quote: what lives have been saved by this bizzare fetish for statistic gathering? Is that all you think it is used for? Or were you referring to your fetish for reducing the pandemic to numbers?

well now that it actually may be useful, they arent going to do it, so you tell me  ;D ;D

and speaking of "fetishes for numbers"
i'm not the one who has done 2 years of daily press conferences, reading out "the numbers"

thats the politicians and the mainstream media.

i have said from day 1


health is a personal responsibility.
work on your weight and your fitness and your nutrition and confront what will inevitably come along.

who do you think was right  ::)

aquascoot wrote on Jan 5^th, 2022 at 5:17pm:

41 million x 85 is 3.2 billion dollars thats more then the annual operating budget of qlds biggest 3 hospitals  ::) ::) ::) ::)

... and what is the Morrison Government's "budget repair" strategy to fill the giant hole that will be the largest deficit in Australia's history ?



Why, it's tax cuts for ALL -
in a bid to win the coming Federal Election



And knowing the electorate's "self-centered, what's in it for ME" mindset,
Labor will see no choice than to match them





.

Lisa Jones wrote on Jan 6^th, 2022 at 12:04pm:

Karnal wrote on Jan 6th, 2022 at 11:57am: aquascoot wrote on Jan 5th, 2022 at 5:17pm: 41 million x 85 is 3.2 billion dollars thats more then the annual operating budget of qlds biggest 3 hospitals  ::) ::) ::) ::) 41,000,000 x 85 = 3,485,000,000 Year 9 maths, innit. No. Try yr 5.

Multiplication isn't easy, Lisa. The Superior Man has to get his head around all those zeros.

But that's the "narrow road to success", no? The Superior Man doesn't need to get his times tables right - he leaves all that to the chodes, who live lives of pure garbage.

He's too busy being awesome to check, no?

Karnal wrote on Jan 6^th, 2022 at 2:24pm:

Multiplication isn't easy, Lisa. The Superior Man has to get his head around all those zeros. But that's the "narrow road to success", no? The Superior Man doesn't need to get his times tables right - he leaves all that to the chodes, who live lives of pure garbage. He's too busy being awesome to check, no?

;D ;D ;D

One cannot expect too much from a simple farmer with 'common sense' who spends the days shooting off emails to world leaders and then proudly announces later here on OzPol that they must have read them and they're now following his awesome advice.

I know all of that would be too tiring for me, never mind the multiplication.

You?

Carl D wrote on Jan 6^th, 2022 at 2:43pm:

Karnal wrote on Jan 6th, 2022 at 2:24pm: Multiplication isn't easy, Lisa. The Superior Man has to get his head around all those zeros. But that's the "narrow road to success", no? The Superior Man doesn't need to get his times tables right - he leaves all that to the chodes, who live lives of pure garbage. He's too busy being awesome to check, no? ;D ;D ;D One cannot expect too much from a simple farmer with 'common sense' who spends the days shooting off emails to world leaders and then proudly announces later here on OzPol that they must have read them and they're now following his awesome advice. I know all of that would be too tiring for me, never mind the multiplication. You?

Just so. Aquascoot can just leave it to the leftard pedants to do the sums or chase up his statistics. Your "noble righty" doesn't bother himself with such trifles.

aquascoot wrote on Jan 6^th, 2022 at 12:33pm:

freediver wrote on Jan 6th, 2022 at 12:26pm: Quote: what lives have been saved by this bizzare fetish for statistic gathering? Is that all you think it is used for? Or were you referring to your fetish for reducing the pandemic to numbers? well now that it actually may be useful, they arent going to do it, so you tell me  ;D ;D

It saved plenty of lives. Let me know when you figure out how.

aquascoot wrote on Jan 6^th, 2022 at 12:36pm:

and speaking of "fetishes for numbers" i'm not the one who has done 2 years of daily press conferences, reading out "the numbers" thats the politicians and the mainstream media. i have said from day 1 health is a personal responsibility. work on your weight and your fitness and your nutrition and confront what will inevitably come along. who do you think was right  ::)

What do you think of China's zero tolerance approach?

Could be disastrous for their economy if Omicron persists....UNLESS the CCP understands the PBofC can pay everyone's essential bills in a lock-down by simply creating debt-free money - 'ex nihilo' -  to pay those essential ongoing bills (and nothing more than those bills). 

[I'm attempting to acquaint the PBofC with MMT]. 

Meanwhile China has adopted the worst of the US profit- driven junk food culture (McDonalds, KFC, Cocacola etc)....
problems ahead (eg, diabetes, obesity) ?

freediver wrote on Jan 6^th, 2022 at 3:25pm:

aquascoot wrote on Jan 6th, 2022 at 12:33pm: freediver wrote on Jan 6th, 2022 at 12:26pm: Quote: what lives have been saved by this bizzare fetish for statistic gathering? Is that all you think it is used for? Or were you referring to your fetish for reducing the pandemic to numbers? well now that it actually may be useful, they arent going to do it, so you tell me  ;D ;D It saved plenty of lives. Let me know when you figure out how.

Just remember your times tables when you do, dear.

thegreatdivide wrote on Jan 6^th, 2022 at 3:34pm:

aquascoot wrote on Jan 6th, 2022 at 12:36pm: and speaking of "fetishes for numbers" i'm not the one who has done 2 years of daily press conferences, reading out "the numbers" thats the politicians and the mainstream media. i have said from day 1 health is a personal responsibility. work on your weight and your fitness and your nutrition and confront what will inevitably come along. who do you think was right  ::) What do you think of China's zero tolerance approach? Could be disastrous for their economy if Omicron persists....UNLESS the CCP understands the PBofC can pay everyone's essential bills in a lock-down by simply creating debt-free money - 'ex nihilo' -  to pay those essential ongoing bills (and nothing more than those bills).  [I'm attempting to acquaint the PBofC with MMT].  Meanwhile China has adopted the worst of the US profit- driven junk food culture (McDonalds, KFC, Cocacola etc).... problems ahead (eg, diabetes, obesity) ?

Aquascoot's a big fan of China's top-town leadership model. The chodes need to be controlled by a strong Alpha - preferably one with a suntan and an appetite for quarter pounders, but Chairman Xi will do for now.

Who knows? One day, the Chows might get a leader like the "noble Donald".

That's what Ivana used to call her Hubbie after she read the Art of War.

You?

thegreatdivide wrote on Jan 6^th, 2022 at 3:34pm:

aquascoot wrote on Jan 6th, 2022 at 12:36pm: and speaking of "fetishes for numbers" i'm not the one who has done 2 years of daily press conferences, reading out "the numbers" thats the politicians and the mainstream media. i have said from day 1 health is a personal responsibility. work on your weight and your fitness and your nutrition and confront what will inevitably come along. who do you think was right  ::) What do you think of China's zero tolerance approach? Could be disastrous for their economy if Omicron persists....UNLESS the CCP understands the PBofC can pay everyone's essential bills in a lock-down by simply creating debt-free money - 'ex nihilo' -  to pay those essential ongoing bills (and nothing more than those bills).  [I'm attempting to acquaint the PBofC with MMT].  Meanwhile China has adopted the worst of the US profit- driven junk food culture (McDonalds, KFC, Cocacola etc).... problems ahead (eg, diabetes, obesity) ?

i think its political.

they will close down cities that provide strategic things the west needs

over 50 % of the wests drugs, for example,  are made in certain cities in china.

close them down on some pretext and cause more mayhem in the west.

freediver wrote on Jan 6^th, 2022 at 3:25pm:

aquascoot wrote on Jan 6th, 2022 at 12:33pm: freediver wrote on Jan 6th, 2022 at 12:26pm: Quote: what lives have been saved by this bizzare fetish for statistic gathering? Is that all you think it is used for? Or were you referring to your fetish for reducing the pandemic to numbers? well now that it actually may be useful, they arent going to do it, so you tell me  ;D ;D It saved plenty of lives. Let me know when you figure out how.

main roads use a figure of 9 million dollars to save a life.
so 3 billion and change would save over 300 lives.

young mothers and fathers and teenagers,  who one would think have more years in front of them then 85 yo's with multiple co-morbidities.

thats certainly how spending should be analysed.

Quote:

main roads use a figure of 9 million dollars to save a life. so 3 billion and change would save over 300 lives.

I expect it saved well over 300 lives. The death toll in other countries so far is up to more than 600 people per 100k population.

Carl D wrote on Jan 5^th, 2022 at 6:07pm:

Wonder how much it would have cost Australia if the borders had been closed PROPERLY in March, 2020 and Covid had been kept out of Australia? Or, if Scotty from Marketing had done the job he was SUPPOSED to do and built proper quarantine facilities away from the major population centres nearly 2 years ago? Even allowing for the inevitable lawsuits from the "we want the borders opened NOW!" brigade (because we need to make more $$$) I suspect the total cost wouldn't have been anywhere near 3.2 billion dollars.

BINGO!

aquascoot wrote on Jan 5^th, 2022 at 5:17pm:

41 million x 85 is 3.2 billion dollars thats more then the annual operating budget of qlds biggest 3 hospitals  ::) ::) ::) ::)

 
And how about your other corporations that made record profits during Covid & took millions in Jobkeeper they won't pay back?

You keep headlining your hypocrisy.

##

Gnads wrote on Jan 6^th, 2022 at 7:40pm:

aquascoot wrote on Jan 5th, 2022 at 5:17pm: 41 million x 85 is 3.2 billion dollars thats more then the annual operating budget of qlds biggest 3 hospitals  ::) ::) ::) ::)   And how about your other corporations that made record profits during Covid & took millions in Jobkeeper they won't pay back? You keep headlining your hypocrisy.

that was only $47 BILLION

scoots not worried about that one  ::)

thegreatdivide wrote on Jan 6^th, 2022 at 3:34pm:

aquascoot wrote on Jan 6th, 2022 at 12:36pm: and speaking of "fetishes for numbers" i'm not the one who has done 2 years of daily press conferences, reading out "the numbers" thats the politicians and the mainstream media. i have said from day 1 health is a personal responsibility. work on your weight and your fitness and your nutrition and confront what will inevitably come along. who do you think was right  ::) What do you think of China's zero tolerance approach? Could be disastrous for their economy if Omicron persists....UNLESS the CCP understands the PBofC can pay everyone's essential bills in a lock-down by simply creating debt-free money - 'ex nihilo' -  to pay those essential ongoing bills (and nothing more than those bills).  [I'm attempting to acquaint the PBofC with MMT].  Meanwhile China has adopted the worst of the US profit- driven junk food culture (McDonalds, KFC, Cocacola etc).... problems ahead (eg, diabetes, obesity) ?

Plenty of Chunks in China.

aquascoot wrote on Jan 6^th, 2022 at 5:47pm:

i think its political. they will close down cities that provide strategic things the west needs over 50 % of the wests drugs, for example,  are made in certain cities in china. close them down on some pretext and cause more mayhem in the west.

By total lock-downs of millions of their own people? Omicron is obviously impossible to eradicate,  I can't believe the CCP would deliberately enforce severe lock-downs on millions of people, as an 'excuse' to implement an obviously doomed attempt to eradicate this incredibly infectious but mostly non-lethal variant (omicron)...all to "cause hayhem the West".

aquascoot wrote on Jan 6^th, 2022 at 5:47pm:

thegreatdivide wrote on Jan 6th, 2022 at 3:34pm: aquascoot wrote on Jan 6th, 2022 at 12:36pm: and speaking of "fetishes for numbers" i'm not the one who has done 2 years of daily press conferences, reading out "the numbers" thats the politicians and the mainstream media. i have said from day 1 health is a personal responsibility. work on your weight and your fitness and your nutrition and confront what will inevitably come along. who do you think was right  ::) What do you think of China's zero tolerance approach? Could be disastrous for their economy if Omicron persists....UNLESS the CCP understands the PBofC can pay everyone's essential bills in a lock-down by simply creating debt-free money - 'ex nihilo' -  to pay those essential ongoing bills (and nothing more than those bills).  [I'm attempting to acquaint the PBofC with MMT].  Meanwhile China has adopted the worst of the US profit- driven junk food culture (McDonalds, KFC, Cocacola etc).... problems ahead (eg, diabetes, obesity) ? i think its political. they will close down cities that provide strategic things the west needs over 50 % of the wests drugs, for example,  are made in certain cities in china. close them down on some pretext and cause more mayhem in the west.

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