Coronavirus: Australian Defence Force helps police enforce quarantine

In extraordinary show of force, ADF joins police in public health checks on homes, businesses.

In an extraordinary show of force, police are being joined by the Australian Defence Force to conduct public health order checks at homes and businesses across NSW.

Operations are being led by police, supported by the ADF, to ensure adherence to all self-isolation requirements, police said in a statement.

It comes as police riot squads patrol large parts of Sydney in a bid to enforce the government’s two-person rule.

ADF officers join police in enforcing restrictions. Picture: NSW Police.

ADF officers join police in checking on people in quarantine. Picture: NSW Police.

People are being ordered to return home from parks, beaches and shopping strips after draconian COVID-19 public health measures came into effect on Tuesday.

“The reality is if you go out to do your exercise then go and do your exercise and go home,” Police Commissioner Mick Fuller told Nine News.

“If you’re going past the coffee shop and you want to get a takeaway coffee, get your coffee and go, don’t sit down and drink it.”

NSW Police officers on patrol at Rushcutters Bay park in Sydney, today. Picture: AAP.

Earlier on Wednesday, NSW Police Commissioner Michael Fuller conceded his officers may have been overly confrontational in their policing of social distancing measures in parts of Sydney on Tuesday.

Footage emerged showing police driving on parkland and individually stopping alongside sunbathers and others abiding by social distancing edicts in Rushcutters Bay Park, in Sydney’s east.

They were ordered to go home because they were idle in the park and not exercising or outside for an essential purpose, such as food shopping.

“I’ve seen the vision myself, I’ve thought a lot about it — on one hand, could they have got out of the car and achieved the same thing in a less aggressive way? Yes they could. On the other hand, there’s (hundreds) of parks we’ve got to get to at the same time,” he said on Wednesday morning.

“That was probably a bit disappointing and confronting.”

NSW Police officers ask a woman to move on at Rushcutters Bay today. Picture: AAP.

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian defended the actions of the police and said the community would need to adjust to this new way of living.

Ms Berejiklian has resisted using the term “lockdown” to describe the conditions around which community members can leave their homes.

“I think yesterday was a huge shock for everybody, for the new way of living,” she said.

“Some people were asked to change their behaviour — and that’s not intended for anyone to feel uncomfortable. Everyone’s intention might be good, but if unintentionally there’s too many people in an area it could spread the virus,” she said.

Mr Fuller said his wife and children went to a park yesterday with the family dog, but they did not stay for long. “They kicked the ball around for half an hour; they came home. They didn’t sit around,” he said.