Australians have taken on vaccination with gusto, in spite of the early incompetence of the federal government in securing vaccines, and yet the onus on doing what needs to be done continues to rest with ordinary folk.

That we even have to pay for testing kits demonstrates the howling failure of a prime minister belligerently dedicated to a modus operandi of passing the buck onto the states and even putting corporate profits ahead of the nation's health.

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The critical lack of access to rapid antigen testing is such that many Border region pharmacists have run out, a situation so dire that Australian Industry Group's Tim Farrah has forewarned serious consequences for our manufacturing sector when it fires-up again next week.

Take a few skilled workers out and, he says, that production line will be at risk of closing down.

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We have been quite adept these past two years in adapting to rapidly changing circumstances in the COVID-19 pandemic, but the total lack of leadership at the top in ensuring the rapid antigen test kit shortfall never occurred in the first place is staggering.

That people have to take responsibility for testing in their own home, even if they can find a kit, after forking out their own dosh, is a sad, cynical metamorphosis of Scott Morrison's bushfire crisis "I don't hold a hose, mate" retort.

Indeed, one astute commentator - the political journalist Barry Cassidy - nailed this very point when he observed: "It's taken about 18 months but we've finally adopted the Trump strategy. Do fewer tests and you'll get (statistically) fewer cases. Many of the positives from home testing will never be officially recorded. Genius."

No matter how many times this abjectly awful leadership is borne out, many pundits still say the imminent federal election remains Morrison's to lose.

That in itself is a telling indictment of Labor's failure, under Anthony Albanese, to get any cut-through with the electorate, that despite their pain and dissatisfaction people feel they have no choice but to tolerate what they've got.

It's dispiriting and oh so unnecessary.

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