Glen20 spray to make up for hand sanitiser at Greenbank booth

ECQ staff made up for the lack of hand sanitiser at a Logan polling booth with a spray can of Glen 20, which was still not enough to allay some voters’ fears.

Mayoral candidate John Freeman at the booth at Greenbank.

PENS, pencils and even the front entrance were sprayed with disinfectant as precautionary measures for the coronavirus at the Greenbank Community Centre but voters were concerned with a lack of hand sanitiser.

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An Electoral Commission Queensland employee was at the entrance of the Logan polling station for Division 11 with the spray can poised ready to cleanse the guard rails.

She said she was surprised with the 8am line-up, which stretched about 100m.

People were standing in small groups in the line, but social distancing was maintained.

There were some concerns about the lack of available hand sanitiser.

“They said on the news last night it would be available,” one voter said.

“I can go to the fruit shop down the road and I can’t go in until I sanitise my hands.”

Some voters took precautionary measures into their own hands.

New Beith residents Milan, 65, and Katica, 59, Menickanen wore disposable gloves.

Other voters were seen wearing face masks.

It was a mixed bag in terms of people bringing their own pencils to vote, with some following the official advice and others reporting they didn’t think to bring one.

New Beith resident Mel, 32, said she saw a message from a candidate on a local Facebook group to remember her own pencil for today.

She also had her own pocket hand sanitiser.

Mel said the biggest local issue for her was the bottleneck on Goodna Rd during pick-up and drop-off for Greenbank State School.

Being a school parent, she said it makes life difficult when Goodna Rd, which leads onto the Springfield Greenbank Arterial Rd, is the only road leading to Springfield.

North Maclean residents Lyn and Trevor, meanwhile, said the election should have been postponed.

Lyn admitted to donkey voting.

“I don’t know these people (candidates) from a bar of soap,” she said.

North Maclean residents Ivan, 78, and Diane Talbot, 77, said the problem with Division 11 is that you “only see politicians at (voting) time”.

Mr Talbot said there is an especial issue with lack of services and infrastructure in Division 11.

“We live on Teviot Rd, right next door to a new subdivision, and yet we can’t get town water. Why?” he asked.

Contrary to many voters today, the Talbots were not too concerned about coronavirus.

“I actually think there’s been a bit of an over-reaction,” Mr Talbot said.

Mayoral candidate John Freeman arrived at Greenbank Community Centre at about 9.30am.

He said he had been up since 3.30am and placing corflute signs from 5am, the legal time he could begin.

Mr Freeman said it would take him until about noon until they were all in place.