Customers locked out of Murarrie businesses by Covid testing queues

Tensions have boiled over at a Brisbane testing clinic as angry Queenslanders were turned away after waiting for hours in line, triggering a road rage incident. SEE THE VIDEO

Brisbane businesses are at “boiling point” over Covid testing clinic queues that have blocked customers and, in one case in Murarrie, seen people defecating on the side of the road.

Things came to a head when the clinic began turning people away – some of whom had queued for hours on more than one occasion with no success – triggering angry scenes.

In a post shared on Facebook, Queensland Police confirmed officers from the Morningside Police Station were investigating a number of incidents and complaints that occurred in the vicinity of the Metroplex Murarrie on Wednesday.

“Police are aware of ongoing traffic disruption in this area and are working with those involved to minimise the disruption,” police said in the statement.

“Police are aware there are a number of factors causing frustration and anxiety amongst the community but are asking everyone to be patient and show consideration for others.”

Police confirmed one of the incidents being investigated was an alleged road rage hit and run in the testing queue where a light truck hit the back of a Toyota Corolla on Lytton Rd before leaving the scene.

Police said investigations into the matter continue.

It comes as queues at clinics across South East Queensland blow out again on Thursday, with some people facing wait times in excess of three hours, while the anticipated influx of rapid antigen tests – which would allow people to test themselves at home – has failed to materialise.

Huge lines of cars continue at the Covid testing site at Murarrie, where local businesses are struggling because of the increased traffic. Picture: Lachie Millard

Health Minster Yvette D’Ath said the Queensland Government had been promised by an overseas supplier they could have 500,000 RATs, but had on Wednesday night been told only 150,000 were available.

She said, of the few RATs that were able to be handed out on Thursday, they would run out quickly.

“I expect that 39,000 will probably run out in a matter of hours, if not a couple of days and we will have to wait for the next supply to arrive,” she said.

As testing queues continue to take hours to get through, one automotive retail business located on Metroplex Ave near the Murarrie Covid clinic claims to have had “virtually no customers all week” due to queues preventing access.

Business manager Robert Dolley said workers have had to park kilometres away just to be able to walk into work.

Rob Dolley from Car Care Products Australia on Metroplex Avenue says his trade has been down this week. Picture: Lachie Millard

Mr Dolley also expressed his frustrations with the behaviour of people in testing queues who are using the local cafe and defecating in gardens.

He said traffic controllers had told him people waiting for Covid tests were going into the gardens and parks to urinate or even defecate.

“We’re already disadvantaged, we don’t need to be walking through peoples urine,” he said.

The line at the Mount Gravatt testing clinic which still doesn’t open for another 2 hours. First cars arrived before 3am. ⁦@TheTodayShow⁩ pic.twitter.com/tPxWCY72bs

— Jess Millward (@JessMillward9) January 5, 2022

On Thursday, Mr Dolley took to Facebook to ask people not to go into the front yards of businesses to urinate or defecate.

“It’s disgusting and I have to walk through there to get to my office because I can’t drive to my office,” the post read.

“Stay the heck out of the cafe on the first roundabout. Local workers use this for lunch and don’t need to be unnecessarily exposed … there are no toilets there.

“Don’t block driveways … for ANY business.

“All local businesses are doing it extremely tough with staff not being able to get in, absolutely no customers and even very limited courier pick-ups.

“Blocking driveways makes that even harder.”

Kymberley Stark at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre clinic at 4.15am Thursday.

Ron King, who manages Zac’s Bistro, which is also located on Metroplex Ave, said his business had a “fairly good barrier” and staff felt “kind of protected” when serving customers. However, he admitted they were also frustrated with people leaving testing queues and blatantly ignoring their “angry signs”.

“The first thing we are hit by is this horrendous traffic outside – it is taking our ‘main customers’ three hours to get to work so it’s actually locked down most businesses in Metroplex with many now working from home,” he said.

He said it’s “extremely frustrating” that people who are going to get tested for Covid think they can come into the bistro and “just buy lunch and coffee.”

“It’s extremely frustrating because you are always on edge thinking ‘has this person got it’,” he said.

Signs at Zac's Bistro at Murrarie to deter people lining up for Covid testing to enter the cafe. Picture: Lachie Millard

He said on Wednesday a lady came into the bistro and was blatantly asked whether or not she had come from the line but said ‘no’.

“We know our customers, so we blatantly asked her and she said ‘no’ but after making her purchase she jumped straight back into her car in the line.”

“There are quite a few people who work for us with compromised lung conditions and one in particular was furious because she is pregnant.”

“She was at boiling point and went out to the car to confront her … she basically said ‘how dare you come in and compromise us out of your own selfishness’, he said”

Mr King said this is a “common occurrence” and most of these customers have no response for their “selfish behaviour”.

“We have had to lock our toilets, put massive signs up and are constantly cleaning with ethanol just in case there is something here and yet we are trying to survive.”

“I have had several interactions with business owners in the area and they are all just angry because they want their staff back in the office to start the year but it’s impossible.”

Mr King said people in the line are angry as well and are refusing to let people go past when they are just trying to get to work.

He said traffic controllers come into the bistro and are just “exhausted” because they are “coping abuse all the time when they are just trying to do their job”.

“The owner still has to pay her rent without any compensation – we even had to close over the Christmas break because business was quiet so rent is still being paid sometimes when there is no income.”

“It’s really tiring – staff are exhausted”

A Queensland Police spokesman urged people queuing for tests to go prepared and expect that they may be turned away.

“While efforts are being made by Queensland Police to assist in managing the high demand, we are asking motorists attending these facilities to make proper preparations for longer than average wait times and the possibility of being turned away,” the spokesman said.

People are queuing for hours to get their Covid test. Picture: Richard Walker

Long queues remained at testing sites across the city, with significant lines of cars seen along Mt Gravatt streets hours before the facility was due to open.

It was the same story at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre in Boondall, with one woman saying she began queuing at 4.15am as still wasn’t inside the gates.

“Parked in the turning lane, but not even inside the complex.” Kymberley Stark wrote on Facebook.

Just before 7am Thursday, Zak Diamont said the Murarrie drive-through clinic was “moving fast”.

“Have been here for about 45 minutes and I’m nearly there,” he wrote on Facebook.

Meanwhile, Ellie Cook said there was already a three-hour wait at the Prince Charles Hospital about 7am.

“Prince Charles doesn’t open until 8.30am and the line is already backed up to the three-hour wait time,” she said.

Meanwhile, Rhiannon Richardson has been in line at the Edens Landing testing clinic from 4.20am.

At about 5.30am she was “ 300m away from the street the testing is on. So probably about 600m from the start of the line.”

Auto repair shop Fixarim in Murarrie said the “only business earning money right now is Healius” – the owner of QML Pathology.

Fixarim owner Stephen Gribes has been dealing with congestion for months but in the past couple of days “traffic has been going right up to the motorway”.

Mr Gribes said a testing clinic should not be in a location where it is impacting on other local businesses and their ability to still earn a living.

“They (Healius) are rubbing their hands with glee every time someone gets a test and all businesses in the area are subsidising them because we cannot get in,” he said.

“The whole point of this (testing) is to get us back on track but if this continues I will need to sack 20 people.”

He said Fixarim had received several calls from customers saying they need to cancel because they can’t get to the site and has “lost thousands over the last couple of months”.

“This is our time of year when we need to get people in and book everyone ahead of time because it's a slow period,” he said.

“To wrap a car is about $5000 – we are probably cancelling three wraps a week.”

“It really is killing us.”

He said on Thursday morning police were “finally directing traffic and providing some access”.

“As a public entity they have responsibility and duty of care to make sure their business doesn’t impact negatively on other businesses … I think it’s just incredibly selfish,” he said.

“I’m not sure why we are even getting tested … the cat’s out of the bag now … there is nothing we can do.”