6PR Breakfast host Gareth Parker has slammed the state’s coronavirus testing system after witnessing long lines at COVID-19 clinics yesterday.

New restrictions on return Victorian travellers were introduced, which meant Parker was required to get tested after returning from Melbourne over the weekend.

He revealed that when he went to a drive-thru COVID clinic to get tested, he was turned away because staff had not received official authorization from the government.

“I do find it extraordinary that we still can’t get the basic rights,” he said.

“There is still these bureaucratic rules in the way that prevent people from doing the right thing.

“I still can’t believe that we ask people to stand in line for four, and five, and six hours at public hospital testing clinics.

“We have got to be able to do better than that when the surge is on.

“Because we are relying on the good-will of people to do the right thing.

“And if we are asking them to stand in line for four, and five, and six hours a proportion of people will not be able to do that.

“We need to encourage people to get tested when the crunch comes, and it staggers me that we’re still struggling to get the basics right.

“Because it is going to happen again, we need to fix it, we need to be able to gear up at short notice.”

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