Triple M’s Lawrence Mooney forced to apologise over lockdown breach

Triple M breakfast host Lawrence Mooney has been forced to apologise for breaching Greater Sydney Covid lockdown orders.

Triple M breakfast host Lawrence Mooney has been forced to apologise for breaching NSW lockdown orders.

The 56-year-old comedian has spent the past nearly two weeks holidaying in Byron Bay despite having been working in Sydney in the period that required people to stay at home due to the latest Covid outbreak.

Lawrence Mooney in Byron Bay.

“I know how serious this is and the impact lockdowns are having across the state and am

very embarrassed by my misunderstanding and stuff up,” Mooney told Confidential. “I feel like an absolute goose for not realising I wasn’t permitted to travel to Byron Bay during

my break.”

Mooney explained that because he lives in the NSW Southern Highlands and only works in the Sydney CBD he thought he was exempt from the lockdown rules.

It was when The Daily Telegraph contacted Mooney that he realised he had breached restrictions. Confidential had noted several images posted to social media of Mooney’s travels, including a spot of horse riding and a catch up with fellow comedian Jimeoin at the Hotel Brunswick.

“I live in a green zone (the Southern Highlands) and am permitted to travel to

Sydney for work as an essential service worker,” he said. “I travelled directly between home and work. I mistakenly believed because my home is in a green zone and Byron Bay is in a green zone I could travel there. I also had a Covid test before I departed.”

Horse riding near Byron.

The star of Triple M’s 104.9 Moonman in the Morning radio show continued: “I now understand this is not correct and that I’ve made an honest mistake. I’ve immediately cancelled all plans for the rest of the week and have packed up and am returning home by car, where I will again take a Covid test on arrival.”

Mooney’s breach comes a few weeks after he appeared on the Today Extra morning program claiming he wasn’t vaccinated because he “didn’t want to die” from the AstraZeneca jab.

In March 2020, Mooney ripped into a Bondi holistic healer for claiming reiki, crystals and essential oils prevented coronavirus.

“It probably works too cos as soon as somebody starts speaking about crystals or essential oils, you can guarantee that no one is coming within two metres of them,” he joked. “I mean seriously, this is great stuff when the wizards and the warlocks and the white witches come out with their cures. You would probably be more likely to cure coronavirus with crystal meth rather than crystals or essential oils. It kills the body first. It is like chemo.”

When contacted NSW Police said it would be “conducting inquiries”.