Queensland lockdown: Covid cops on pandemic patrol in the southeast

Queensland’s top Covid cop has warned people to carry ID on them and said anyone defying Covid directions could be fined up to $1378 and be arrested and put before the courts.

Police have begun blitzing southeast Queensland to enforce tough lockdown restrictions, with the state’s top Covid cop warning people to obey the rules or face possible arrest.

Deputy Commissioner Steve Gollschewski laid down the law when the lockdown was announced on Saturday, urging residents in the 11 affected local government areas to ‘do the right thing’ as the state grapples with the latest outbreak of the dangerous Delta strain.

Queensland Police Deputy Commissioner Steve Gollschewski during Saturday’s press conference in Brisbane. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Tertius Pickard

Mr Gollschewski said extra police would be on the streets to ensure people did not flout lockdown restrictions by straying more than 10km from their home.

Police will also be checking to ensure people only leave their homes for allowable reasons – work or school, essential shopping, medical appointments, caring for the vulnerable or getting a Covid-19 jab.

Mr Gollschewski said the ‘vast majority’ of Queenslanders had been doing the right thing through the pandemic but some still were not.

He said a Coolum cafe operator was arrested on Saturday after she and her employees repeatedly defied police directions to put on face masks.

Police allege the 38-year-old became abusive towards officers and was arrested and hit with two fines totalling almost $1600, while an employee of the Birtwill St establishment was fined $206 for refusing to wear a mask.

Queensland Police stop cars and trucks at the Queensland border on the Gold Coast after the border was closed to all of New South Wales on July 24. Picture: by Chris Hyde/Getty Images

Mr Gollschewski said police also had to hand out 127 masks on Friday to people who were not wearing them, after southeast Queensland’s mask mandate was extended.

He said anyone defying Covid directions could be fined up to $1378 and also arrested and put before the courts.

The deputy commissioner and chief health officer Dr Jeannette Young also warned protesters not to attend a planned ‘freedom march’ in Brisbane’s CBD on Sunday.

It follows a similar protest last weekend which attracted thousands of demonstrators.

“Can I say really clearly … now is not the time for protests in our community,” Mr Gollschewski said.

“We ask that you do not go ahead with those protests. You can expect a police presence and you can expect police to make sure that the chief health officer’s directions are obeyed.”

Dr Young said protests were an important part of democracy but ‘just don’t do it tomorrow (Sunday)’.

“Could you wait until we’re not in lockdown and then have a protest?” she said in a plea to demonstrators.

Mr Gollschewski also urged southeast Queenslanders to carry ID so police could check that they were obeying the 10km radius limit.