Victoria lockdown: Postcodes to be shut down, patrolled by police from midnight

Victorians will be locked down again tonight after a massive surge in coronavirus cases. But one of the restrictions is still confusing people.

Parts of Victoria will return to a stage three lockdown just before midnight tonight with booze buses stationed around 36 of the state’s suburbs to make sure hotspot residents are staying put.

Premier Daniel Andrews said the 14 days of double-digit increases – including the 64 cases announced yesterday – had left him with no choice.

Of greatest concern is the hundreds of community transmission cases.

“That is an unacceptably high number and one that poses a real threat to all of us, not just in those hotspot suburbs,” Mr Andrews said.

Premier Daniel Andrews addressing the media yesterday. Picture: James Ross/AAP

From 11.59pm tonight, more than 300,000 Victorians will be locked back down until at least July 29 and face fines if they leave their suburb.

But locked down Victorians wanting to visit their boyfriend or girlfriend for “compassionate reasons” – technically a reasonable excuse — are being told to keep their visits for August.

Speaking on 3AW this morning, Victorian Police Minister Lisa Neville encouraged Victorians to brace for a difficult month.

“There’s something I’ve seen on Twitter about no bonk ban but letting people have a look on the (Department of Health and Human Services) website is best,” she said.

“Yes (compassionate grounds) is a reason but again it is that question that we had last time, ‘Can we call it compassion? Can we call it medical?’ And I would say, this is for a month and it’s going to be a tough month but if everyone does right thing it’ll only be a month and I plead with people to do right thing.”

WHICH SUBURBS ARE BEING LOCKED DOWN?

The state government will lock down 10 postcodes across the inner north and west of Melbourne.

The following postcodes – 3012, 3021, 3032, 3038, 3042, 3046, 3047, 3055, 3060 and 3064 – which covers 36 suburbs, will all be under lockdown until the end of the month.

“If we do not do this now, then I won’t be locking down 10 postcodes, I will be locking down all postcodes,” the Premier told reporters yesterday.

RELATED: Where 64 new cases came from

RELATED: How Victoria saw a massive spike in virus cases

Ten postcodes are being locked down by the Victorian government until the end of the month. Picture: Darrian Traynor/Getty Images

WHAT ARE THE RULES?

Much like the state’s earlier stage three restrictions, residents in those 10 postcodes or 36 suburbs will only be allowed to leave their home for four reasons.

• Shopping for food or other essential items

• To provide care giving, for compassionate reasons or to seek medical treatment

• For exercise (outdoor exercise only, with only one other person or members of your household)

• Work or study, if you cannot work or study from home

Additional restrictions are also being put in place for the locked down areas.

Locked down regions cannot have visitors to their home except for caregiving or compassionate reasons or receiving services. They can no longer visit friends and family who live at another household, except for caregiving or compassionate reasons or providing services. And they cannot travel except for one of the four reasons outlined above.

Restaurants and cafes will also return to takeaway, pubs and bars will close, beauty services – except for hairdressing and barber shops – will close, gyms and public pools will close, holiday accommodation and camping is banned and recreational venues including zoos, theatres and cinemas will shut.

All affected businesses will be eligible for a $5000 grant or payroll tax refund.

Affected businesses will receive a $5000 grant. Picture: Darrian Traynor/Getty Images

HOW WILL IT BE PATROLLED? 

Victoria Police will bring back its $1652 coronavirus fine for anyone not adhering to restrictions or for anyone leaving their suburb without a reasonable excuse.

Booze buses will be stationed around Melbourne’s main arterial roads with residents in locked down suburbs subject to police checks.

Police will also actively be patrolling the regions and questioning people why they are out.

“People moving in and out of the suburb will be asked to identify themselves, to identify their address and to provide good reason for them being out and about,” Mr Andrews said.

Police Minister Lisa Neville told 3AW this morning said “there will be significant police but for a good reason”.

“If everyone does the right thing we can make sure police don’t need to be in those numbers,” she said.

“I just say to people again think before you do anything, think do I need to do this? And if you don’t, just don’t do it. It helps police and it helps stop the spread of virus.”

Police will patrol locked down suburbs from tonight. Picture: Scott Barbour/AAP

WHAT OTHER MEASURES IS VICTORIA TAKING?

More than 100,000 people have been tested across Melbourne over the past few days as the state works to get a clearer picture on how many people have the virus.

Almost 17,500 tests were performed in hotspots on Monday, bringing the total number of tests from Saturday to Monday to more than 93,000.

Despite that, some people are still refusing to be tested, including 928 people in the suburbs of Broadmeadows and Keilor Downs.

“All I can do is encourage those people to come forward and get tested today,” Mr Andrews said.

International flights will also be diverted from Victoria to other states for two weeks as a former judge begins an inquiry into the hotel quarantine program.

Genomic testing has indicated a “very significant number” of cases in late May and early June could be linked to a breach of infection control protocols by staff at the hotels.

“Clearly there has been a failure in the operation of this program,” Mr Andrews said.

About 800 federal public servants and clinical staff will join the Australian Defence Force in helping run the suburban testing blitz and Mr Andrews said he wouldn’t hesitate to ask for extra help if needed.
RELATED: Victoria won’t rule out further lockdowns

COVID-19 public health team members preparing to doorknock during a COVID-19 testing blitz in Broadmeadows on June 28. Picture: Asanka Ratnayake/Getty Images

It comes as Adelaide and Queensland banned Victorians from entering their states.

Meanwhile, the NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian has reiterated Victorians are not welcome to attend major events in the state until further notice.

Victoria’s Chief Health Officer Professor Brett Sutton said the state’s outbreak was a “heartbreaking turn of events”.

“We can absolutely turn this around, we can stabilise numbers over the next few days and we can absolutely drive numbers down,” he said.

WILL THERE BE FURTHER LOCKDOWNS?

While there are no plans yet to impose further lockdowns, an epidemiologist at the University of Melbourne warned more Victorians will “almost certainly” be locked down.

Professor Tony Blakely told ABC’s 7.30 last night that it is highly likely there will be a rise in COVID-19 cases outside Victoria’s hotspot areas.

“If you look where the cases are now, they’re popping up in other places. For example, there were cases today in a menswear store in the CBD,” Professor Blakely told the program.

“I know we’ll see more postcodes tip over and hopefully we’ll get on top of it and this outbreak will be over,” he said.

Dr Mukesh Haikerwal, who works in a clinic in Altona North, Melbourne, told 7.30 the virus won’t just stick to particular suburbs, it can spread everywhere.

“I’m not sure locking down a suburb or within a local government area is the right thing to do,” he said.

“Why? The virus doesn’t know where to stop. It’s everywhere. We’re all liable and vulnerable. We are all at risk. We’ve all got to do the right thing. We did it very early on in the piece. We’ve got to keep doing it.”

– with AAP