"This is something the government is failing in dismally," said secretary of Unions Shoalhaven, Pat David.

"The most vulnerable in our society and the people who need to have it for their work situations, should have access to the free rapid antigen tests.

"People who are living below the poverty line and who can't afford them won't be able to access them, they won't be testing themselves."

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has resisted growing calls to make rapid antigen tests freely available as Omicron cases continue to spread across the nation.

Despite the rise in COVID-19 case numbers and hospitalisations over the past few days, Mr Morrison said the rapid tests would not be made free to the public.

"We've invested hundreds of billions of dollars getting Australia through this crisis," he said on Monday.

"We're now in a stage of the pandemic where you can't just go around making everything free.

"When someone tells you they want to make something free, someone's always going to pay for it, and it's going to be you."

Read more: Hazardous surf for Illawarra as ex-tropical cyclone pummels coast

RAT kits are in high demand across the Shoalhaven, with pharmacies having run out of stock with little certainty when their next order will arrive, and residents experiencing long wait time for PCR test results.

A Kangaroo Valley resident confirmed they are still waiting for their PCR test result after being tested on December 30.

Ms David said the federal government had months to prepare for securing enough RATs.

"I was in a meeting with the South Coast Labor Council who asked for this months ago," she said.

"This is something that should have been readily available within workplaces and for the most vulnerable in our communities already."

Read more: Why Wollongong won't have a high speed rail stop

Kiama MP Gareth Ward echoed that the federal government had done a "terrible job" in securing RATs and said it had ample time to prepare.

"They've done a terrible job in procuring rapid antigen tests to make sure that we've got supplies and it's the second time we've had an issue around supply," he said.

"The first time was with respect to the vaccine.

"What I can't understand is we keep seeing these problems first overseas, in Europe, particularly Britain, well before we do but we don't learn the lessons."

Read more: Rain expected to hit the South Coast for remainder of the week

Mr Ward suggested a voucher system like the Dine and Discover vouchers as a solution to making RAT kits accessible.

"I think they (RATs) should be free," he said.

"But I think the best way to manage this is a voucher system similar to Dine and Discover so the government has the capacity under the Public Health Orders to regulate the issue of rapid antigen tests."

"You could have a rapid antigen test voucher which you would present at a chemist and the cost would be covered by the government."

He suggested vouchers to appear on Service NSW apps as a way to limit people stock piling tests.

"We could limit the procurement of rapid antigen tests by using that system," said Mr Ward.

"I think there's been a lot of people purchasing them and using them for the wrong reasons.

"The health advice is that you use them if you're feeling unwell, you use them if you are a close contact to confirm whether or not you might need more accurate testing through a PCR test.

"But a lot of people have experienced unfortunate and unnecessary delays at this time of year so services are limited.

"I think the government's done a terrible job in perhaps providing some advanced messaging around that."

Health Minister Greg Hunt said the government was in the process of securing more RATs and 100 million would come into Australia over the next two months.