‘Selfish’ Warrnambool partygoers fined more than $100k for Covid lockdown breaches

“Selfish” Warrnambool partygoers have racked up more than $100,000 in fines for defying lockdown laws.

Nineteen partgoers have been fined more than $5000 each for breaching lockdown laws in Warrnambool on Saturday night.

Warrnambool partygoers who defied lockdown rules on Saturday night have been branded “selfish” as police confirmed more than $100,000 in fines were dished out.

Warrnambool mayor Vicki Jellie said she was shocked and disappointed to hear locals had flouted lockdown rules to hold large gatherings.

“It’s a selfish thing to do because you could affect your whole community — your family, your community and put us all at risk,” Cr Jellie said.

“It’s very disappointing for people to even think about doing that.”

A Victoria Police spokeswoman confirmed fines were handed out at two separate gatherings on Saturday night.

“Police attended two separate private residential properties overnight and issued a total of 19 infringements to people who were breaching the CHO (Chief Health Officer) directions,” the spokeswoman said.

“The fine for attending a large gathering is $5452.”

It comes after police fined 12 people from two different Warrnambool house parties during lockdown earlier this month.

Cr Jellie said Saturday afternoon’s lockdown had caught everyone by surprise, but it was no excuse for flouting the regulations.

“It’s been quite clear for some time that you can’t have visitors to your home, all those rules have been in for a long time,” she said.

“To have this happen (on Saturday night) after we’ve all been put in full lockdown for the whole state, it’s extremely disappointing to hear.”

Cr Jellie said people only needed to see what had happened in New South Wales to know how quickly the virus could spread.

“This Delta variant of Covid, we can really now see that this is really serious,” she said.

“Sadly when we look at NSW, it didn’t act appropriately in time and it’s got out of hand up there. We cannot afford that to happen here.

Warrnambool has been really good through the last 18 months (with people) doing the right thing.”

“The city is suffering, whether it’s businesses, schools, teachers, the general community is suffering.

“We want the tourists to come back. We want to be able to get out and shop in our local area like we always have done, so we have to abide by the rules.”

In positive news, Warrnambool continues to be a leader in Covid vaccination rates in Victoria, with 57.9 per cent of people aged 15 or over having received one dose and 27.5 per cent fully vaccinated.

“Warrnambool as we know over the last few months has been right up there leading the way (in vaccination rates),” Cr Jellie said.

“Not everyone likes these sort of things but I think it’s a decision we all have to make (to get the vaccination) to keep us all safe.

“We can’t go on with these lockdowns forever — as hard as it is and we need to adhere to them.

“But we need to see the light at the end of the tunnel and if it’s having an immunisation for the majority of the people, that’s what we have to do.”