Minister Hunt defends contact tracing app while Albanese labels it a ‘dud’

The Federal Health Minister appeared on Channel 9 yesterday confirming that the contact tracing app is responsible for 200 people being identified as linked to outbreaks.

He said: “Not to have it would be beyond question”.

“It does what it is intended to do and that is to find people who are within proximity of others for a period of 15 minutes, which was the medical advice, within a distance of 1.5 metres.”

Labor leader Anthony Albanese told reporters on Tuesday he understood nobody had been identified.

“We were told by the government that it would be a critical element in being able to trace people and we know that has not occurred for a single person. So, this is, at this stage, it would appear that it’s a $2 million dud.”

The COVIDSafe apps have been downloaded 6.5 million times by Australians. However, the Federal Government’s target is 10 million people or 40% of the country for it to achieve its objectives.

If Mr Hunt is correct with 200 people and Mr Albanese is correct that the cost is $2 million, each of the 200 people cost $10,000 to locate, which would appear to be a good deal given the cost to Victoria of the current outbreak is $1 billion a day.