Questions have been asked about millions of dollars’ worth of unusable PPE in Tasmania. 

The Tasmanian Government has revealed it has a stockpile of personal protective equipment (PPE) worth $22.8 million that has gone past its use-by date. 

Reports say health department officials have yet to find a way to dispose of the equipment, which was purchased during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The government is also taking legal action against a supplier of face masks that were found to be unusable. 

Health department officials say they were advised to maintain a six-month stockpile of PPE to keep patients, healthcare workers, and the community safe during the pandemic. 

The department has not responded to questions about how much of the $22.8 million was spent by the federal government.

The Health and Community Services Union's assistant secretary, Lucas Digney, says he knew of some unusable equipment, including masks that were not sealed properly and oral fluid tests that were unable to deliver a result. However, he was not aware of what equipment had been purchased and why it was not fit for purpose. 

A 2021 report from the Auditor-General allegedly found that a “breakdown in procurement controls” undermined the department's stock replenishment, resulting in a $2 million deposit being placed on $6 million worth of level-three masks that had not been assessed for certification or quality.

Shadow Health Minister Anita Dow called the amount spent “staggering” and “one of the worst examples of waste in Tasmania's history”. 

She called on the premier to apologise and launch an independent investigation into how the situation occurred. 

The Health Department has also not responded to questions about where the PPE is being stored or how much it would cost to dispose of. 

Governments worldwide have scrambled to get their hands on PPE during the pandemic, with England's National Health Service writing off AU$7.3 billion on unusable gear, including substandard protective clothing, in the first year of the pandemic.