Coronavirus Victoria: Police issue $1m in fines in second lockdown

Authorities are pleading with Victorians to follow the rules as they chalked up more than $1 million in fines since the second coronavirus lockdown.

Victorians have chalked up more than $1 million worth of fines since the coronavirus lockdown was reinstated a week ago.

By Thursday morning – just over a week since stage three restrictions were reimposed on metropolitan Melbourne and the Mitchell Shire – police had issued 611 fines totalling at least $1.01 million to people breaching the chief health officer’s directions.

Another 65 people were fined overnight – 17 of those at vehicles checkpoints – as irresponsible Melburnians continue to throw parties at short-term rental properties.

Police busted five people inside a rented apartment on Jane Bell Lane in the CBD on Wednesday night and each were slapped with a $1652 fine.

Multiple others were also found congregating in public and private spaces to catch up with friends or drink alcohol.

Police check drivers at a random checkpoint in Port Melbourne. Picture: Andrew Henshaw

Premier Daniel Andrews again pleaded with Victorians to abide by the rules on Thursday morning as the state recorded a record 317 new cases.

“We continue to see a small number of people making choices, not only are they wrong, they’re not particularly smart,” Mr Andrews said.

“Victoria Police are out there in force, doing the work that needs to be done to make sure that people are complying with these rules, to make sure that everyone is playing their part, large and small, in our efforts to defeat this virus.”

It comes after 10 people were fined when they were found drinking alcohol around a gas heater in a Bentleigh street on Tuesday night, while five others were given infringements for celebrating a friend’s graduation at a house in Box Hill the same evening.

An Australian Defence Force member inspects a licence at a vehicle checkpoint on the Princes Highway at Little River. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Ian Currie

The CityLink tollway at Richmond, renowned for its congestion, is eerily quiet after the recent COVID lockdown. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Andrew Henshaw

Six others were also fined after throwing a house party in Collingwood, and four people were found gathering at a private property in Alphington.

Victoria Police Deputy Commissioner Rick Nugent said the ongoing parties and gatherings were concerning.

“People playing poker, people holding parties, we’re finding people in cupboards, in garages, please stop, do all you can to support what the rest of the community is doing to address this health emergency,” he said.

“The time for discretion is over. Any blatant, deliberate breach of the restrictions will result in an infringement notice being issued.”

More than 105,000 vehicles have been stopped at checkpoints across Melbourne since July 8, while police have conducted 21,004 spot checks on people at homes, businesses and public places across the state.

Almost 170 people have been fined at vehicle checkpoints, including a man who was allegedly found with a trafficable quantity of drugs, drug paraphernalia and cash at a roadblock in Broadford.

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