NSW Police have been blasted for their 'cruel' decision to fine people lining up for hours to receive a Covid-19 test at Sydney's Bondi Beach drive-through clinic.
Thousands of residents responded to the government's call to get tested and many headed to their closest testing site. Sadly, many had the same idea at the same time and were forced to wait several hours in line to do their part in containing the coronavirus outbreak.
When you're waiting that long in line, it can be tempting to reach for your phone and scroll some social media or send some emails and texts.
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However, some individuals at Bondi were slapped with a $349 fine and five demerit points being caught by police on their mobiles.
Bondi Beach testing clinic told the Daily Mail that police were patrolling the queue and were handing out fines to those caught using their mobile phone during the lengthy wait.
The rules on the Transport for NSW website state that in order to lawfully use a mobile phone, 'you must be parked out of the line of traffic. However, the ignition does not need to be turned off.'
According to news.com.au, one woman had been using her Kindle device to read during the long wait and was reportedly told by an officer who approached her vehicle that she was 'lucky' it wasn't a mobile phone.
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"The line was right up the hill at North Bondi and I had already been in the line for two hours," she said. "I would have understood if he was politely issuing a reminder but the whole situation seemed unfair."
She explained that she and many others had waited about six hours and that it was 'a bit cruel' to fine those who had been trying to do the right thing and get tested.
A NSW Police spokesperson told news.com.au that a number of traffic infringements were issued to motorists in Sydney's eastern suburbs on December 19.
"These infringements are being reviewed by NSW Police," the spokesperson said.
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The government has called on people with even the mildest symptoms to go and get tested for coronavirus as the northern beaches cluster continues to grow.
On Tuesday morning, it was revealed that there were eight new cases of community transmission in the 24 hours to 8 pm Monday night with another 10 cases in overseas returned travellers. It comes following 15 new cases reported from a record 38,000 test results a day earlier.
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