Four Labor politicians will be tested for coronavirus after attending Black Lives Matter protests around the country.
NT senator Malarndirri McCarthy, Alice Springs-based MP Warren Snowdon, and Queenslanders Graham Perrett and Anika Wells left parliament for tests on Wednesday.
The group will remain at their accommodation while awaiting the results.
"They've gone off and got tested out of an abundance of caution," Labor leader Anthony Albanese said in Canberra.
Labor's opposition manager of business Tony Burke said the advice received from medical authorities was people "should go to work as usual and should be tested if they have symptoms".
"What those four Labor members have decided is to go above and beyond, out of an abundance of caution, to get tested anyway, and isolate anyway, pending the tests coming back."
Greens senators Janet Rice and Mehreen Faruqi also attended protests at the weekend.
Senator Faruqi was in the upper house chamber for the opening prayer and acknowledgement of country.
Senator Rice drove to the national capital after cancelling her flight while vowing to follow strict physical distancing procedures during the sitting fortnight.
"I will monitor my health closely, and get tested and isolate immediately should any symptoms arise," she said in a statement.
She is confident she took proper measures to minimise the risk of contracting the virus, including physical distancing and hand washing.
Senator Rice noted a deputy chief medical officer had said people who attended the protest did not need to self-isolate.
Queensland Nationals senator Susan McDonald, who has recovered from the virus, slammed politicians who attended the protest as selfish.
"As one of the very few parliamentarians who has had coronavirus, the agony was the wait to find out if I hadn't infected elderly and at-risk family and friends," she said.
"These parliamentarians make the mistake of thinking that this is about them, when it is about the people that they put a risk."
She said the MPs and senators should be self-isolating for two weeks.
Australian Associated Press
