NSW MP Don Harwin fined $1000 for staying at holiday house during coronavirus lockdown

A NSW minister has been fined $1000 and told to return to Sydney after he was caught staying at his holiday home despite bans on non-essential travel.

NSW Arts Minister Don Harwin has been fined $1000 after he was found staying at his holiday home on the Central Coast despite authorities pleading with Sydneysiders to stay out of regional towns because of coronavirus.

Photos taken by The Daily Telegraph show Mr Harwin was at his Pearl Beach holiday home on Wednesday afternoon despite his principal place of residence being Sydney’s eastern suburbs.

It comes despite the NSW government saying all non-essential travel to regional NSW towns must be cancelled and urged Easter holiday-makers to indefinitely postpone their visits to slow the spread of COVID-19.

Gladys Berejiklian said this morning she was “deeply disappointed” and that Mr Harwin had been asked to urgently return to Sydney.

She also attempted to defend Mr Harwin saying he had not “technically” broken any rules because he went to his holiday home before lockdown was in place.

“I apologise on behalf of my team to the entire community,” she said. “He made that decision prior to the restrictions to say that is where he would base himself. For his own personal health reasons I will let him explain that. He only advised me that a few days ago.

“It is not just about sticking to the rules but it is also about being perceived back to the rules. He is either in Sydney or on his way back to Sydney.”

The Premier said she was not inclined to sack the minister even though he has been fined $1000 by police, saying you can’t sack everyone who gets a fine.

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NSW Minister Don Harwin has been fined $1000 by police for breaching lockdown restrictions. Picture: Christian Gilles

NSW Police Commissioner Mick Fuller said people should be in lockdown wherever their “primary home” is to prevent regional hospitals becoming overwhelmed.

Mr Harwin told The Daily Telegraph he had been at the holiday home for about three weeks and in that time had only travelled to and from Sydney for a medical appointment.

The minister said he was at the holiday house for health reasons and added that his work-from-home arrangements on the Central Coast were better than in his small apartment in Sydney.

Mr Harwin apologised to Ms Berejiklian and the people of NSW in a statement this morning.

“I took advice from my department officials about the Public Health Order to ensure I adhered to the guidelines during this period,” he said.

“I have no desire to cause a distraction for the Government at this important time and have returned to my Sydney home.”

Officials across the world have been caught flouting self isolation rules including Scotland’s chief medical officer Catherine Calderwood who resigned after being busted travelling to a second home in a rural area of Scotland’s east coast.

New Zealand Health Minister David Clark offered his resignation to the Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern after he was caught breaking the rules of the country’s lockdown by mountain-biking near his Dunedin home.