Barnaby Joyce fined for not wearing a mask indoors

Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce has been fined $200 for not wearing a mask indoors after being dobbed in by a member of the public in his electorate.

A NSW Police spokesman confirmed a penalty notice was issued to a 54-year-old man found to be breaching the public health order in the state’s north-west on Monday.

Barnaby Joyce was fined for not wearing a mask at a petrol station in Armidale.Credit: Sky News

Officers attended a service station at Armidale after receiving a Crime Stoppers report from a member of the public about 8am, and found the newly re-elected Nationals leader was not wearing a face mask while in the store. Police spoke with him before issuing a $200 fine.

Speaking to Sky News on Monday night, Mr Joyce said he had been rushing to refuel the car for his partner Vikki Campion.

“I’ll give you a funny story,” Mr Joyce said.

“I went into the Caltex service station. I was going to the airport, I forgot to get fuel for Vikki, filled the car up with fuel, went in, 30 seconds later, $200 it cost me because I didn’t wear one of these,” he said, brandishing a disposable mask on camera.

Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce, who returned to the Nationals’ leadership this week.Credit: Alex Ellinghausen

“But that’s life.”

Referencing the incident during the daily press conference with NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian on Tuesday, Deputy NSW Police Commissioner Gary Worboys said “that person was apologetic and cooperative with police and an infringement notice was issued”.

A total of 16 people received $200 fines for failing to wear a mask on Monday, among 34 infringement notices issued by police overall.

Also among those infringements was a $4000 fine for a tour operator who took three busloads of tourists from Sydney to a Dubbo zoo, in the state’s west.

Staff at Taronga Western Plains Zoo, in Dubbo, refused to let the 128 people on board off the buses and called police when they arrived about 9.30am.

Police said at least 76 of the passengers were not permitted to travel outside Greater Sydney under public health orders.

Officers spoke to the tour operators and discovered the group left Sydney on Friday and had travelled throughout regional NSW after the public health orders were updated on Saturday.

The guests were returned home immediately and the tour company issued a $5000 infringement notice.

Deputy Commissioner Worboys said the company owner told police he was aware of the lockdown rules but decided to continue the tour as planned anyway.

Police are urging members of the public to report suspected breaches of public health orders.

Police Minister David Elliott said now was a crucial time for NSW and it was disappointing to see people continuing to breach the health orders.

“I would appeal to everyone to not only follow the rules but use your common sense and do your bit to help NSW beat this virus,” Mr Elliott said.

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