- Minister for Police and Emergency Services
The Victorian Government is working to protect our health system and those at most risk of contracting coronavirus, with Victoria Police being given the power to issue on the spot fines of up to $1,652 for individuals and up to $9,913 for businesses who don’t follow the rules.
The Victorian Government’s message to all Victorians is clear: if you can stay home, you must stay home. However there are still too many people failing to take this seriously, putting lives at risk.
From today fines can be issued to those who refuse or fail to comply with the Chief Health Officer and Deputy Chief Health Officer emergency directions, public health risk directions, or those who refuse or fail to comply with a direction by the Chief Health Officer to provide information.
This means persons or businesses could be fined on the spot:
- If they fail to self-isolate for 14 days after arriving at an airport in Victoria from a flight originating from overseas, as set out in the Airport Arrivals Direction
- If they organise or attend a mass gathering prohibited by the Prohibited Gatherings Direction
- If they organise or attend a wedding that has present more than the two persons being married, the celebrant, and two witnesses, or a funeral that has more than 10 persons, as prohibited by the Prohibited Gatherings Direction
- If they organise an auction for the sale of a residential property, as prohibited by the Non-Essential Activity Direction.
Victoria Police has already established a coronavirus enforcement squad of 500 officers to ensure containment measures that have been put in place to combat coronavirus are followed. This gives them additional powers.
Coordinated through the Police Operations Centre, the officers are out in the community doing spot checks on returning travellers who are in 14-day isolation, 24 hours, 7 days a week, as well as enforcing the bans on indoor and outdoor gatherings.
Information is being provided by the Australian Border Force of all those who have returned from overseas and this information is being used appropriately. Tasking is based on intelligence from the Department of Health and Human Services and community information.
As noted by Minister for Police and Emergency Services Lisa Neville
“We sincerely hope that Victoria Police does not have to issue one of these fines, and people do the right thing.”
“For those who are at most risk of contracting coronavirus, please, if you can stay home, you must stay home.”
As stated by Minister for Health Jenny Mikakos
“Everybody has a role to play in slowing the spread of coronavirus and to take the pressure off our health system. Our message is clear: if you can, you must stay at home.”
