Gold Coast man and tourists among five issued fines for quarantine breaches

A Gold Coast resident and holiday goers to the city are among those issued fines by Queensland Police for breaching quarantine over the weekend.

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A GOLD Coast man and tourists visiting the city are among those fined by police for failing to stick to “stay-at-home” directives by going for random walks on beaches.

A 31-year-old man was issued with a $1,334 penalty infringement notice (PIN) for failing to comply with COVID-19 border direction on December 19.

Police allege the Stradbroke Island man was directed into home quarantine but went for a walk on the beach.

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The man is now completing quarantine in a hotel over the Christmas period.

The next day a Northern Beaches couple were both issued a PIN for $1,334 after failing to comply with COVID-19 border direction.

The 61-year-old man and a 41-year-old woman from Northern Beaches were alleged by police to have left their accommodation on Main Beach to visit a nearby beach. They have since returned to New South Wales.

The trio are among a group of five rule-breakers fined for breaches in Queensland – all five have returned a negative COVID-19 test.

The Army rolled into Surfers Paradise to stand guard outside the Voco Hotel, where passengers from overseas are in quarantine. Picture Glenn Hampson.

The Queensland Police Service has completed 186 home quarantine compliance checks since December 19, resulting in a 97 per cent compliance rate.

Assistant Commissioner Shane Chelepy said the majority of people are doing the right thing but some people were choosing to blatantly disregard the rules.

“People quarantining at a private address need to take their obligations seriously and stay at home,” he said.

“Police will be conducting random checks on those people in home quarantine to ensure they are doing the right thing and not putting others at risk by going into public spaces.

“Those who are found to be flouting the rules and leaving their property could not only face a hefty fine, they are likely to be placed into hotel quarantine at their expense.”

Failure to comply with quarantine directions could result in on-the-spot fines of $1,334.

Providing false information on the declaration or entering Queensland unlawfully could result in a $4,003 fine.

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