Dozens of lockdown rule-breakers nabbed as Victoria records 10 new coronavirus cases
Forty-nine rule-breaking Victorians have been hit with a $1652 fine for flouting the still-in-place lockdown restrictions. It comes as the state recorded 10 more cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours.
Coronavirus
Don't miss out on the headlines from Coronavirus. Followed categories will be added to My News.
This coronavirus article is unlocked and free to read in the interest of community health and safety. Get full digital access to trusted news from the Herald Sun and Leader for just $1 for the first 28 days.
Dozens of rule-breaking Victorians have been hit with hefty fines for flouting the state’s strict lockdown restrictions.
In total, 49 people were nabbed by police and each hit with a $1652 fine.
Among those caught were five people of different addresses in one car on their way to get food, eight people drinking alcohol in a private residence and multiple people committing crimes, including theft and drug related offences.
It comes as 10 more Victorians were diagnosed with COVID-19 over the past 24 hours.
Two additional cases were discovered in New South Wales, bringing the national number of new cases to 12.
Six states and territories recorded no new cases.
“All of this means that we are achieving things beyond what anybody had dared hope or talk about six, eight weeks ago,” Health Minister Greg Hunt said on Sunday.
“It’s Australians that have done this.
“Our health professionals, but also over 25 million Australians who have been extraordinary.”
CEDAR MEATS WORKERS SHUNNED FACE MASKS
Thousands of protective face masks for workers at coronavirus hotspot Cedar Meats were never used.
The Sunday Herald Sun can reveal 2000 masks were never worn by any of the 350 staff at the abattoir in Brooklyn, in Melbourne’s west.
The masks were bought from an Australia-based red meat dealer Eddie Zhi – who arranged for a shipment of meat to be taken from Cedar to Wuhan, the epicentre of the coronavirus pandemic.
“Mr Zhi contacted a lot of meat processing plants and offered face masks. Cedar Meats purchased 2000,” Tony Kairouz, the general manager of Cedar Meats, said.
Asked what happened to them he said: “The face masks haven’t been used.”
The abattoir is now connected to 75 coronavirus cases and has been labelled ‘Victoria’s Ruby Princess’ — the cruise ship that docked in NSW and sparked hundreds of COVID-19 cases.
Cedar Meats is currently closed.
Mr Kairouz said the company was working to access JobKeeper for its 350 staff “so that they do not have to use their entitlements during this time.”
“Until we have an outcome, our advice to staff is to utilise any entitlements that they have. Like all businesses impacted by COVID-19 we are devastated that this has provided temporary financial uncertainty and potentially financial loss for our people,” he said.
Four new cases were identified as part of the Cedar Meats cluster yesterday, taking the total to 75.
Attorney-General Jill Hennessy said two were workers at the site and two were close contacts.
A total of 59 workers had contracted the virus, as well as 16 close contacts.
Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt maintained the outbreak had been “very well tracked and traced by the public health authorities” in Victoria.
Ms Hennessy also announced a $17.5 million funding boost for Victorians seeking legal aid during the pandemic, including for domestic violence and housing matters.
Victoria recorded ten new cases of coronavirus yesterday, including the four connected to Cedar Meats.
The Australian Meat Employees Industry Union and the Australian Meat Industry Council declined to comment.
It comes after a second worker at McDonald’s in Fawkner tested positive for coronavirus on Friday.
Health authorities said the employee worked a shift while infectious, and the restaurant has been closed for at least three days for thorough cleaning.
All close contacts have been contacted by the department and will remain in quarantine for 14 days.
The Health Department said it is working with McDonald’s to advise that widespread staff testing is undertaken.
Though the risk of infecting customers through food or packaging is low, the department said anyone with mild symptoms should get tested.
Victoria Police has threatened to fine people who break lockdown restrictions to celebrate Mother’s Day. Have you or someone you know been fined for visiting your mum? Email monique.hore@news.com.au
VICTORIAN KIDS SET FOR CLASSROOM RETURN
Students will head back to Victorian classrooms in two weeks.
The Sunday Herald Sun can reveal classes will resume in the last week of May, in a major boost for families.
Years 11, 12, preps and grade 1 will be among the first allowed to get back to schools.
The announcement is expected early this week with Premier Daniel Andrews also set to announce as soon as tomorrow that Victorians will be able to gather in groups of up to 10 — in homes and outside.
A time frame for a resumption of intrastate travel is also expected.
The easing of coronavirus lockdown laws comes as the Sunday Herald Sun can also reveal the AFL season is now set to return as early as June 11.
Players are expected to start training in groups of 10 this week.
The State Government is sanctioning older grades returning to school to help reduce the impact of home learning on the vital final years of education, and the youngest students would be sent back to free parents to return to work and help kickstart the economy.
READ THE FULL VERSION OF THIS REPORT, HERE
AFL REBOOT COULD TAKE PLACE ‘SOON’: HUNT
Footy will return ‘pretty soon’, with AFL chiefs presenting careful return plans to state and federal officials ahead of offical return date announcements.
Health Minister Greg Hunt said getting the AFL back was a particular focus for him.
“The AFL, I’m a Victorian and so I have a particular focus on following that, they have worked incredibly well in laying out a pathway, consulting with their players, consulting with the health authorities,” Mr Hunt told Sky News on Sunday morning.
“(AFL chief executive) Gil McLachlan said to me, ‘we will not proceed unless we have the clear indication that it’s safe and that there is the support and endorsement of the medical officers.’
“And they have been working very constructively with the states, as have other sports, and so I think we’ll get the footy back pretty soon.”
Mr Hunt said he wanted to see both professional and community sport make a return.
“I want to see community sport back, AFL back, the NRL back, netball back, and what we’ve done is, again, a pathway,” Mr Hunt said.
“I know that myself, the Prime Minister, the Chief Medical Officer, all wanted to see community sport back as well.
“For families, for kids, that’s critical.”
– Tamsin Rose
QANTAS CREW FORCED TO QUARANTINE
Three Qantas crew members were placed in mandatory hotel quarantine in Melbourne after they breached strict social distancing procedures on a stopover in New Delhi.
Airline staff are exempt from the government’s fourteen day forced isolation and are instead allowed to self isolate at home or until their next flight.
The trio – two men and a woman – lost the privilege after photos of them socialising and drinking in a hotel room in India surfaced online, in what Qantas has labelled as a “disappointing” breach of trust.
“Just popped over for a Vindaloo,” a male crew member posted on social media while sitting shoulder to shoulder with his two colleagues.
He declined to respond for comment.
The crew landed in Melbourne on evacuation flight QF7022 repatriating stranded Aussies on Friday morning.
The airline told the Sunday Herald Sun crew were repeatedly made aware that they are not allowed to socialise or go into each other’s hotel rooms as a condition of their employment.
Qantas said staff were asked to sign a form acknowledging these requirements before departing.
“The Australian Government has put in place strict requirements for all crew members while they are overseas to protect them and reduce the risk to the community,” Qantas medical director Dr Ian Hosegood said.
“It’s disappointing that a very small number of cabin crew have knowingly breached what are very clear requirements.”
MORE NEWS
VIC STUDENTS BACK TO SCHOOL IN TWO WEEKS
WHAT IT WILL COST TO VISIT YOUR MUM THIS MOTHER’S DAY
THOUSANDS FLOCK TO SHOPPING CENTRES DESPITE RESTRICTIONS
The Federal Health Department grants such exceptions to air and maritime crew, provided they adhere to “specified risk mitigations measures”.
The trio will be quarantined at Crown until May 23
– Brianna Travers and Rhiannon Down