VIRUS SHOWS WORST TOO

WONDERFUL acts of kindness and putting others first have shown there is gold in the veins of many living in our aptly named Gold Coast.

We were proud to highlight this side of locals in our special report yesterday, Salute To Our Heroes. The tribute served to share the stories of a range of people – mums and dads, doctors, teachers, police officers, paramedics, nurses, cleaners, council workers, midwives, volunteers, pharmacists, supermarket workers and bus drivers, doing their bit at the coalface of the coronavirus crisis. Of course, they were but a sample of an enormous number of people who are giving their time, effort and skills to help others and in many instances, running a risk in doing so.

But today we report on another side to how people respond to this coronavirus problem, with some in the community being anything but heroic. As stricter border controls have kicked in, they have turned positively feral.

A vandal – or vandals – vented their frustration and demonstrated anger management problems by spraying black paint over vehicles with Queensland licence plates at the Duranbah Beach and Point Danger car parks. As a Coolangatta local who helped victims clean the paint off said later, “we’re not meant to be targeting each other”. He thought it might have been “a bit of localism”, because border barriers were stopping Tweed residents accessing the surf and Queensland.

A driver meanwhile decided to avoid the traffic bank-up at the border crossings, where people without permits were being stopped from entering Queensland, by mounting a backstreet kerb and driving around barriers, risking a hefty fine.

A few weeks ago we witnessed the childish and unnecessary rush to hoard various supermarket items.

Adversity has brought out the best in many residents but sadly, it is also bringing out the worst in human behaviour.

But if people are going to act like small children then the response has to involve the adult equivalent of a slap on the wrist.

Frustrated drivers have to understand the border restrictions are in place to save lives. If they do not want to suffer the punishment of fines, they have to cop the inconvenience like everyone else. As for the idiots with the paint, they deserve time in the naughty corner with bars and locks.