FleetDrive 22 - April 2020 | Page 12

Penalty infringement notices for breaching COVID-19 restrictions Things are in a state of constant change as the COVID-19 crisis affects our daily lives. Below are some examples of Penalty Infringement Notices in relation to alleged breaches of the Public health Act for NSW. Whilst each state is different, the below provides some clear examples of what NOT to do. As a whole we are continually being encouraged to reduce our movements to only essential gatherings and services as part of the ‘Stay At Home’ direction. But what does that look like? What this means is considering whether your employees need to come into the office and then if they need to go to/from work. Keep in mind they can still break their journey to ‘buy essentials’ and when they get home, go for a run/walk, take dog for a walk in no more than groups of 2 (at 1.5m apart), or together as a family / household. Any deviation from this (as exampled below) will be dealt with in accordance with the current Public Health Act provisions for NSW or similar provisions in other states. A total of 13 Penalty Infringement Notices (PINs) were issued in NSW on the 1st April in relation to alleged breaches of the Public Health Act as listed in a couple of examples below. The directive for both individuals and businesses is simple – don’t be a workplace hero. Stay home if you’re not already and isolate at all costs. It’s not only considerate to your fellow Australians, but no business or individual needs to risk a fine over such a simple directive. Individual Breaches from Wednesday April 1, 2020 • Just after midnight, police were patrolling Artarmon when they saw two men standing together on the Princes Highway. It’s alleged that as officers approached, one of the men ran – but was chased and eventually stopped by 12 ISSUE 22 2020 / WWW.AFMA.ORG.AU police. Both men gave varying accounts about why they were out, however neither satisfied the requirements stipulated by the Public Health Order. The men – aged 19 and 24 – were searched, issued with infringement notices and moved on. • About 1.30am, officers attached to New England Police District stopped a vehicle on Adelaide Street, Moree, for the purposes of a roadside breath test. The driver, a 34-year-old woman, was unable to provide a reasonable excuse for leaving her home in Coonamble and was issued with a penalty infringement notice. • About 3.15am officers from Orana Mid-Western Police District fined a 23-year-old man for not complying with noticed direction (Section 7/8/9 – COVID-19). The man was given a warning by police the previous evening, before being caught leaving his home a second time without a reasonable excuse. • A 21-year-old man ignored two warnings to be fined $1000 for failing to comply with Ministerial directions under the Public Health Act. Officers attached to Newcastle City Police District found the man for the third time that day (Wednesday 1 April 2020), on Market St eating a kebab on a bench. Business Breach from Wednesday April 1, 2020 • Officers from Lake Macquarie Police District attended a remedial massage business on Harrison Street, Cardiff, about 4pm on Wednesday 1 April 2020, following information it was continuing to operate. Police observed several customers enter and leave the premises. The operator, a 57-year-old woman, was spoken to and issued a $5,000 PIN for failing to comply with noticed direction (Section 7/8/9 – COVID-19)