Aussie travellers cop $1,000 fines for breaching self-isolation
New South Wales police have begun handing out whopping fines for Aussie travellers who don’t follow self-isolation protocol.
A woman from the Hunter region was the first to cop a fine for breaching a public health order when she was seen out in the community within 14 days of returning from an international holiday in Bali.
NSW Police said in a statement the woman arrived at Sydney International Airport on a flight from Indonesia on 21 March and was told she would be required to quarantine for a 14-day period.
Police received information she had breached the order and gave her a warning on 23 March. On 26 March police said they were told the 65-year-old left her home again and issued her with a $1,000 fine.
Since then, NSW Police have handed out three more fines to international travellers failing to self-isolate, including a 64-year-old man returning from Thailand and a 23-year-old couple who had also returned from Thailand.
Minister for Police and Emergency Services, David Elliott, said the rules could not be clearer and they apply to everyone.
“No one is above the law. If you decide to ignore a direction, you will be caught, and you may very well find yourself slapped with a hefty fine,” the Minister said.
“The fact that people are still not complying is the reason why we have police out in full force enforcing these directions.
“This behaviour is not only reckless and stupid, but potentially deadly.”
NSW Police officers now have the additional power to issue Penalty Infringement Notices (PINs) to anyone found to be in contravention of a ministerial direction under the Public Health Act.
Featured image credit: iStock.com/MarioGuti
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