Police have dished out their first three $1000 fines under heavy new COVID-19 restrictions, including to one man washing car windscreens at a western Sydney intersection.
The new police powers which came into effect at midnight Monday restricted public gatherings to two people, unless the group was from the one household, and banned outings without a reasonable excuse.
Three $1000 fines for “not comply with noticed direction” were issued in Sydney and the country town of Parkes yesterday.
Police allege they spotted a 39-year-old man “washing car windscreens” at the intersection of Woodville Rd and Hume Hwy at Chester Hill about 10.30am Tuesday.
They claim he indicated he had no intention of complying with police directions to stop and move on, telling them “it’s just a virus, it’s not that bad”.
He was hit with a $1000 fine, as well as a separate infringement notice for standing on the road and offering to wash people’s windscreens.
Police also allege they saw four people drinking outside a closed hotel in Bankstown City Plaza at 2.30pm yesterday, with three of the men leaving once they had spoken to police. But a 57-year-old man was fined after he allegedly became abusive and refused their directions to leave.
Just before 6.30pm Tuesday police in the small town of Parkes noticed a gathering of people outside a home. “Officers identified that one person in the group, a 26-year-old man, was not a family member,” police said.
“It’s alleged (the non family member) failed to heed several warnings and requests by police to leave the area. He eventually left after being issued a move along direction.”
NSW Police Commissioner Michael Fuller said “additional powers have been introduced with good reason”.
“I encourage my officers to use them in the spirit in which they were intended – to keep the people of NSW safe throughout this crisis,” Mr Fuller said.
“I’d encourage people to continue to do the right thing without the need for police involvement and the use of these new powers.
“A good rule of thumb is that if you are questioning whether you should be doing something, it is best to give it a miss.”
Under normal traffic powers, police also fined a man for allegedly driving 70kmh over the speed limit in his Lamborghini on the way to get a coronavirus test in Sydney’s west.
An officer on a motorcycle allegedly clocked the high-end vehicle travelling 160kmh in a 90kmh zone on the M4 motorway at Lidcombe just before 7pm Monday.
“When the 35-year-old driver was stopped, he allegedly told the officer he was on his way to Westmead Hospital to get tested for COVID-19,” police said in a media statement.The officer “who followed appropriate protocols” gave the man a speeding ticket and suspended his licence.
Police said the man was tested before going into mandatory self isolation.
-Nick Hansen
