Coronavirus: for anglers and golfers, this borders on lunacy

Mixed messages and inconsistencies between states over corona­virus social-distancing laws are leaving people stung by big fines.

NSW Police Commissioner Mick Fuller regards solo fishing as a passive sport. Picture: AAP

Mixed messages and inconsistencies between states over corona­virus social-distancing laws have seen fishing and golf allowed on the northern banks of the Murray River but not south of the border.

Victorian authorities have made it clear they do not regard recreational fishing as exercise, threatening anyone caught with a line in the water with a $1652 fine.

In NSW, Police Commissioner Mick Fuller has said he regards solo fishing as “passive exercise” and therefore acceptable.

Golf is also prohibited in Victoria, despite being permitted in all other states as long as social-­distancing precautions are taken.

Victoria’s mixed messaging also saw a man who said he had been working up to 14-hour shifts making deliveries as an “essential worker” fined $1652 for taking his car to a legally open Melbourne car wash at 1.15am on Thursday.

Police said he’d left home for reasons other than work, buying necessities, exercising or seeking medical attention and was therefore in contravention of the laws.

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews has several times said there was “no prohibition” on travel to holiday houses in Victoria, but asked to clarify the government's position on holiday houses on Friday, Minister for Women Gabrielle Williams said the preference was for people to “stay at home”. She said the government had imposed “very strict guidelines around what is essential and what is not … I would not ­regard going to a holiday house as ­essential”.