Sydneysiders are stuck for hours in testing queues in the south-west as the Fairfield LGA has been put on high alert.

Health orders have been amended to include mandatory surveillance testing every three days for anyone who lives in the Fairfield LGA and works outside the Fairfield LGA.

These essential workers will not have to isolate in between tests, as long as they don’t have any symptoms.

The surveillance testing will come into effect from Saturday.

Listener Wayne was waiting at the Smithfield testing clinic since 1am and told Ben Fordham he left to go to work a couple of hours later.

“And the guy told me there was still a four-hour wait at that hour.”

Others have been queuing up hours before testing centres open.

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Fairfield Mayor Frank Carbone told Ben Fordham he’s received reports of people with symptoms waiting for six hours and leaving without getting a test.

“I’m not going to cop people trying to point the finger at Fairfield when residents want to get tested, and the government hasn’t put appropriate resources.

“The police had to close off half the city yesterday and turn people back from our testing clinics!”

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Local MP Guy Zangari told Ben “it’s chaos”, with police turning people away last night.

“It’s time for Gladys Berejiklian to put her money where her mouth is by increasing 24-hour testing sites, having more health care professionals on the ground …. because what we saw last night was a slap in the face to the hardworking people of Fairfield.”

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Image: Getty/Lisa Maree Williams