Parafield cluster: Pizza shop worker’s lockdown lie sparks hunt for answers

Twenty detectives are about to get to work finding out how one man’s lie brought the entire state to a halt.

A major investigation has been launched into how one man’s lie sent South Australia into the nation’s toughest-ever coronavirus lockdown.

A 20-strong taskforce of senior detectives will investigate if any possible criminal activity motivated a medi-hotel chef to lie while multiple laws and SA Health’s contact-tracing regime are also in review.

Dubbed taskforce Protect, it was formed hours after the revelation Australia’s toughest pandemic restrictions – including a six-day statewide lockdown – would be scrapped from midnight Saturday. Exercise bans were lifted today but authorities said the Parafield cluster still posed public risk, as three new cases were announced and more western suburb locations of concern emerged.

Another 44 suspected cases are also under investigation.

Face masks are strongly urged this week until authorities are confident the outbreak is contained. Police Commissioner Grant Stevens told The Advertiser the taskforce investigation would be wide-ranging.

A focus will be on the Woodville Pizza Shop, which is linked to the cluster of 25 COVID-19 cases.

Detectives are also investigating the background of the man who lied to SA Health contract tracers about his role in the pizza shop and if he is linked to any illegal activities.

Contact-tracing operations will also form part of the inquiry as well as SA Health’s advice that triggered tough restrictions to avoid a second wave of the virus.

Police outside the Woodville Pizza Bar on Friday, November 20. Photo: Kelly Barnes/Getty Images.

The task-force will also review emergency management and public health laws, after it emerged the man will escape punishment for what Premier Steven Marshall condemned as “disgraceful conduct”.

The State Government is also reviewing its medi-hotel program after the cluster, the state’s sixth and worst, emerged from the city’s Peppers Hotel, in Waymouth St.

Declining to comment on any operational matters, Mr Stevens – who authorised the lockdown as state co-ordinator – said the inquiry would “investigate any alleged criminal actions by any person in the lead up to and post the advice provided to SA Health’’ prior to the lockdown.

“The actions of this individual has shone a spotlight on a particular premises and we are now focusing our efforts to identify all of the circumstances around what this person has told us,’’ Mr Stevens said.

Mr Marshall told The Advertiser the government was investigating how to punish the worker. He stressed the lockdown decision was based on sound health, and expert, advice – a strategy that had served the state well.

“There has to be consequences for this disgraceful behaviour and we are looking at each and every avenue to throw the book at this individual,” he said. “I am satisfied that (SA Police) are conducting a thorough investigation into this situation that led to the circuit breaker.”

The pizza worker, aged in his 20s, also works as a chef at the Stamford Plaza Hotel but admitted he lied about regularly working at the Woodville Road shop, which was last night under police guard.

Premier Steven Marshall on Friday, when authorities revealed a hotel kitchen hand lied when he said he’d only bought a pizza from the Woodville Pizza bar when in fact he worked ehre. Photo by Kelly Barnes/Getty Images.

Instead of catching the virus from a pizza box, which sparked grave fears the disease had spread widely through the community, he was instead a close contact of a Peppers security guard, aged in his 50s.

The task-force, headed by Assistant Commissioner (Crime) Peter Harvey, includes some of the state’s most experienced detectives from Major Crime, Public Protection Branch suburban CIBs and other key operational areas. The Australian Federal Police will assist the inquiry.

“The task-force will report twice daily to me, such is the importance of getting to the bottom of this,’’ Mr Harvey said.

“We will be looking at what legislation may or may not have been breached; it is complex and can span any number of potential lots of legislation.”

In a surprise announcement, Mr Stevens, Mr Marshall and chief public health officer Professor Nicola Spurrier said the economy would reopen from midnight Saturday.

Schools and universities will reopen on Monday while other virus restrictions will return to pre-lockdown levels, such as density levels of one person per 4 sqm.SA Health was still deciding last night when elective surgery could resume while police debate was ongoing into when other activities, such as school sport can resume.

Mr Stevens, whose daughter’s wedding early next month was cancelled, said none of the more than 30 fines received this week would be overturned. He said had the Stamford worker told the truth to contact tracing teams “we would not have gone into a six day lockdown”.

“I think, stating the obvious to say that this person’s actions has, had a devastating impact on our community,” he said.

Prof Spurrier, who said she had “no regrets” on the lockdown, said there were 25 cluster cases while a “double ring” was around more than 4500 close, and secondary contacts who are in quarantine.

Among those in quarantine include Calvary Adelaide Hospital patients, other healthcare workers, police, medi-hotel, a BHP Olympic Dam worker and students.

Tonight, SA Health issued urgent new warnings for anyone who shopped for 20 minutes at Coles, at the Churchill Shopping Centre, 390 Churchill Rd, Kilburn last Saturday from 10am.

Warnings were issued for Woolworths, Findon Rd, Findon the previous night, between 8:50pm and 9pm.

They were added to more than 50 Adelaide potential transmission spots. Prof Spurrier said it was important that people keep getting tested for even the mildest of symptoms after another record day of 14,459 checks, bringing total tests to 631,458.

The state’s virus tally stands at 553, including two at the RAH.