The head of Australia's consumer watchdog has lashed out at businesses price gouging COVID-19 rapid tests, warning he will name and shame retailers engaging in the "appalling" conduct.
Australian Competition and Consumer Commission chair Rod Sims says the authority has set up a team to investigate issues with supply, costs and pricing, which is due to report back within weeks.
It follows widespread shortages of the rapid tests across the country, which have been in high demand in the wake of exploding virus cases.
"(Businesses) shouldn't be engaging in cartel conduct," Mr Sims told reporters in Sydney on Tuesday.
"We have the ability to name and shame people if they are doing the wrong thing... (and that) is extremely powerful."
Supply is constrained and prices have been rising, Mr Sim says, but the ACCC will work to determine why.
He says panic buying, stockpiling and supply constraints likely play a role, but the commission has heard some people are taking advantage of the situation to unreasonably hike prices.
Among some of the worst examples were online trading sites, like Gumtree, Kogan and eBay, where the tests have been sold well above normal prices - some for as much as $150 each.
The authority has also heard of multi-packs being split up and each test sold for the price of an entire pack.
"I find it hard to criticise retailers, be they chemists or supermarkets if they are actually rationing... to make sure that each customer gets a couple rather than five," Mr Sims said.
"But if they are taking them out of the packet and, instead of charging $75 for the packet, charging $75 for each test, that is appalling behaviour and that is behaviour we would most certainly deal with."
The commission has received more than 100 reports about excessive pricing from the public so far, but wants more so it can crack down on bad apple retailers.
While the threat of reputation harm should be enough to solve what he suspects is a problem that will only last a matter of weeks, Mr Sims says the ACCC will take them to court for unconscionable or misleading conduct if necessary.
There have been growing calls for the rapid tests to be made freely available to everyone following the spike in cases, but Mr Sims refused to be drawn on whether he supported the push.
"You can see both sides of that argument," he said.
"(The ACCC) play an essential role in making sure the market economy works to the benefit of consumers ... but getting rid of the private market for a particular product is a big call.
"These are very tough decisions."
He hadn't talked about making the tests free with either the prime minister or the private industry, he said.
The Health Services Union and NSW Labor are among those calling for the tests to be made freely available.
"Big retailers profiteering is no different to individuals looting during a crisis," HSU national president Gerard Hayes said.
"The prime minister needs to step in and ensure rapid antigen tests are free and accessible to everyone who needs them."
The Australian Council for Social Services argues they should at least be provided without cost to people who can't afford them, and those staffing essential services.
