However the message clearly was not relayed to the thousands of workers queueing up for tests on Wednesday.
Lines stretched for kilometres and wait times exceeded six hours, with just a few staff manning the testing site.
Today
Southwest Sydney locals are spending hours lined up to get approval to work.
Perrottet spoke with 2GB's Ben Fordham on Wednesday morning and said he was sorry for what the people of Fairfield were going through.
“Can I just, on behalf of the government, apologise to everyone in Fairfield for this significant inconvenience,” Perrottet told Fordham.
“But also thank them, because it's the sacrifice that they're making … that keeps people safe.”