Moggill MP Christian Rowan calls for more testing sites in Brisbane’s west

A Brisbane MP has called for more Covid-19 testing sites in the city’s west as the number of cases and exposure sites grow and people waits of up to seven hours in queues, with an MP blaming low test numbers on the lack of resources.

Wait times at testing clinics in Brisbane have blown out to as long as seven hours, federal Member for Ryan Julian Simmonds said.

Community members told the MP the wait times at the Kenmore testing facility had blown out to five hours, while the wait at Ashgrove was a staggering seven hours.

Mr Simmonds said the low testing rate in Brisbane amid the latest outbreak was not a failure of the community to front up, but rather Queensland Health’s shortage of testing sites.

The western suburbs of Brisbane, in particular, desperately need more Covid testing sites with another local member pleading with the government to step in and open more facilities.

State Member for Moggill Christian Rowan has written to Health Minister Yvette D’Ath highlighting the urgency of the need for additional Covid-19 testing locations across the western suburbs of Brisbane given the growing list of exposure sites.

A long line of people waiting for Covid-19 test at a Toowong Village site. Picture: Brad Fleet

“The current QML site located at the Kenmore Village Shopping Centre is overwhelmed and its locality is causing significant disruption to traffic management on the Kenmore roundabout which is adjacent to the Kenmore Village Shopping Centre,” Dr Rowan said.

He urged Ms D’Ath to consider opening pop up testing facilities at locations like Moggill District Sports Park and the Brookfield Showgrounds.

Moggill MP Dr Christian Rowan says more testing sites needed in western Brisbane. Picture: Liam Kidston.