Coronavirus Australia: Couple spotted sitting in car fined $2000
While many Australians heeded government advice and stayed at home this weekend, others found themselves on the wrong side of both the front door and the law.
The police came knocking at a party of Australian Federal Police recruits on Friday night, about 150 cars were stopped at a rally in Brisbane on Saturday night and one man found himself behind bars on Sunday night after allegedly wedging the fire exit door of his Perth hotel open so he could escape quarantine undetected.
Below are just a few of the Australians allegedly found gathering en masse indoors or out and about without a reasonable excuse over the past few days.
COUPLE IN CAR, ‘BORED’ WOMAN FINED $1000
A couple sitting in a car in the NSW Hunter Region had a costly trip last week, copping $2000 in fines after offering up no explanation for why they were out.
Police spotted the pair sitting in the vehicle on Scott St – a wide and grassy suburban street – in Muswellbrook on April 1.
“Following inquiries, officers attached to Hunter Valley Police District found neither the 32-year-old woman or the 27-year-old man had a reasonable excuse not to be at home,” NSW Police said in a statement.
Penalty Infringement Notices in the most virus-hit Australian state carry on-the-spot fines of $1000 for individuals and $5000 for businesses. Dozens have already been handed out.
Police on Sunday night said 18 new PINs had been issued in relation to alleged breaches of the state’s Public Health Act including a 33-year-old woman who was travelling in the passenger seat of a food delivery driver's car in Sydney.
About midday on Saturday, Quakers Hill police stopped a vehicle and spoke to two people in the car — a food delivery driver and a female passenger.
"The driver was employed delivering food; however, police allege the 33-year-old woman from Toongabbie, who was the front-seat passenger, was only there because she said she was bored being at home," NSW Police said in a statement.
A number of PINs were issued to people found drinking in public places, driving around aimlessly or not obeying social distancing directions.
NSW Police Commissioner Mick Fuller has vowed to personally review every PIN issued in relation to alleged breaches of Public Health Orders, “to ensure the issuing of such infringements is the most appropriate course of action”.
“Commissioner Fuller will also be reviewing the wider application of this new legislation daily to ensure best practice across the board,” the force said last week.
QUARANTINE HOTEL ESCAPE
A man spent Sunday night behind bars in Western Australia — the very night the state enforced a hard border closure — after allegedly wedging a fire exit door at his hotel to breach self-quarantine requirements, police say.
The 35-year-old man is an interstate traveller from Victoria who arrived on March 28.
"He was required under the Emergency Management Act to self-quarantine for 14 days (until 13 April 2020) and he was provided a room at a Perth hotel for this purpose," WA Police said in a statement on Sunday.
https://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/health/health-problems/coronavirus-australia-people-who-allegedly-defied-the-isolation-rules/news-story/ace987b4a4b3a5843377ba082d640f55
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