Lady Pamela: Six fined and captain charged after Mark Simonds’ controversial trip
NSW Police have fined six passengers and crew of the Lady Pamela superyacht after they illegally disembarked in NSW. It comes as the captain has been charged by QLD police under the public health act.
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NSW Police have fined six people for illegally disembarking from the controversial Lady Pamela voyage as Queensland Police charge the captain.
The multimillion-dollar yacht, which set sail from Melbourne carrying millionaire mogul Mark Simonds and his family, had been under investigation for a 15-day jaunt along the eastern coast of Australia, before arriving at the Gold Coast City Marina at Coomera on Monday, August 24.
The yacht reportedly left Melbourne on August 9 with Mr Simonds’ wife Cheryl, their youngest son, and Hannah Fox, daughter of Linfox executive chairman Peter Fox, on-board.
Police have fined six people on board a luxury superyacht carrying millionaire Mark Simonds, which was controversially allowed to sail from Victoria to the Gold Coast.
A NSW Police Marine Area Command investigation has found the crew and passengers of the Lady Pamela superyacht illegally disembarked on NSW soil on three occasions while on route to the Gold Coast.
Police say the individuals disembarked at Eden on Wednesday August 12, Port Stephens on Sunday August 16 and at Yamba on Friday August 21.
Six people have been fined under the Public Health Order, including three $100 fines to the yacht’s captain.
The 64-year-old is currently facing charges in Queensland for making false declarations to health authorities.
The 61-year-old owner was given two fines and a 40-year-old woman on the crew was also fined.
Three passengers, a 20-year-old woman, a 51-year-old woman and an 18-year-old woman were also fined.
The yacht and its seven occupants were initially granted a travel exemption to come to the marina to have the vessel serviced.
However, chief health officer Dr Jeannette Young revoked the exemptions following community outrage, forcing Mr Simonds, the executive director of the ASX-listed Simonds Group, and the other occupants into hotel quarantine. They are believed to be staying at QT Gold Coast in Surfers Paradise.
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The captain has been issued a notice to appear in Southport Magistrates Court, under section 363 of the public health act, which translates to making a false declaration to Queensland Health.
Police will allege the captain gave false information about not leaving the yacht in New South Wales, when he had actually left the yacht.
It’s understood the captain and the other occupants of the boat are under investigation by New South Wales Police and could face further charges.
Days after the yacht docked in Coomera, Chief Superintendent Mark Wheeler said: “No one is above the law, no one should feel so entitled they can just break the rules and make their way in,” he said late last month.
“At 9am on August 24 the Lady Pamela arrived at Coomera. It had seven people on board and it’s alleged it travelled from Victoria via NSW. The occupants were given a chief health officer’s exemption on August 20, 2020 to enter Queensland, but that was under strict conditions,” Supt Wheeler said.
“On August 25 the chief health officer revoked the exemption and the occupants were placed into hotel quarantine here on the Gold Coast. So Gold Coast District Police last night attended that marina and took those people into self-funded quarantine.”
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said she was “disgusted” by the allegations.
“I am disgusted about it, and now there is a criminal investigation because it puts the community at risk,” she said.
Originally published as Lady Pamela: Six fined and captain charged after Mark Simonds’ controversial trip