Coronavirus: Premier left blushing over ban on lovers

These students were under a ‘love ban’ on Wednesday as the Victorian government launched a control order on private lives.

Josh Palmer and Claudia Wilby live with their parents but meet up for a walk on The Tan in Melbourne. Picture: Aaron Francis

Josh Palmer and Claudia Wilby were living under a “love ban” for much of Wednesday as the Victorian government launched a control order on private lives in responding to COVID-19.

Like countless other Victorian couples who don’t live together, the 20-year-old students were left to ponder life under a no-visit rule.

“It’s odd but it’s definitely worth doing, it’s in the best interest of the country,” Mr Palmer said, as the couple walked around the Tan track in Melbourne. “You’ve got to do your little part, I guess.”

Despite Premier Daniel ­Andrews and Police Minister Lisa Neville backing the restrictions early on Wednesday, Victoria’s couples were saved when shortly before 5pm the government did an about-face, with Victoria’s Chief Medical Officer, Brett Sutton, tweeting: “We have no desire to penalise individuals who are staying with or meeting partners if they don’t usually reside together. We’ll be making an exemption.”

Mr Andrews and Ms Neville have been left red-faced over the fiasco, with both strongly endorsing the “love ban”.

“That’s not work, that’s not care-giving, that’s not medical care, that’s not shopping for the things you need when you need them, and it does not comply with the rules,” Mr Andrews said. ­“People should not do that.

“I know that people are making sacrifices across the community, but it is a price worth paying ­because it’s going to save lives.’

The bungled law stipulates that a person must not enter another’s place of residence unless they are a fellow resident, have been directed to live there for self-isolation purposes, must visit for work or education, are attending a private real estate inspection, or for medical or emergency purposes, or their entry is otherwise required by law.

The Premier’s comments backed those of Ms Neville, who confirmed the love-life restriction in a tweet. “You cannot visit your partner for social reasons,” she wrote. “I know it does seem very harsh but it is part of the directive of the Chief Health Officer based on how this virus can easily spread, moving from household to ­household.”

Former Victorian premier Jeff Kennett said the couples ban might have been fairer and easier to enforce if it had come as part of a more severe shutdown, with ­people given warning. “That would have given people 24 hours to decide how they want to live their lives — together or separately,” he said.

Mr Palmer and Ms Wilby both live with their respective parents in the region of Stonnington in Melbourne’s east, which has the highest number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the state.

Prohibited from visiting each other’s homes, on Wednesday Mr Palmer and Ms Wilby were left with no option but to walk together. “This is the most exercise I’ve done in years,” Mr Palmer said.

Ms Wilby said with a smile: “Yeah, you’ve just started today.”

Victoria’s “love-ban” edict was more intrusive than the position taken in other states.

NSW Police Commissioner Mick Fuller said NSW couples were allowed to visit each other if they lived in separate households.

“I would put that under care — absolutely, mental health, that’s under care,” he said. “We get it, that is absolutely under care.”

Tasmanian Premier Peter Gutwein expressed regret at having to get involved with “people’s love lives” but after consulting health experts, he advised couples living apart they could still visit each other’s places.

“As long as the two-person rule is adhered to, people can visit their family, partner or check on neighbours,” he said.

“However, we would absolutely caution people from having anyone over who is unwell.”

Northern Territory Chief Minister Michael Gunner was more succinct. “I support love in the time of corona.”

In the ACT, couples can visit each other as a new public health order allows two other people to enter a household in ­addition to the people already living there.

Mr Andrews said people had to ask themselves whether their ­actions were “worth a life” before proceeding. “If you don’t need to do it, don’t do it. That’s a very, very simple thing,” he said.

“Stay at home, preserve the health system and save lives. “We’ve got a long way to go and I know I’m asking a lot. I know people are making sacrifices across the community, but it is a price worth paying because it’s going to save lives.”

In Queensland, the situation is slightly more complicated. A person can visit their partner, but only if the partner lives alone.

Queensland Health Minister Steven Miles said only people who lived alone could have a visitor, unless the visitor was there for work or education purposes.

South Australian police are taking a moderate approach and issuing fines only for groups of 10 or more, or smaller groups that breach social-distancing rules.

There have been no cases of heavy-handing policing, with Commissioner Grant Stevens urging people to use common sense but vowing to prosecute flagrant abuses of the law.

SAPOL and SA Health have jointly advised that people can still play golf and tennis provided they are 1.5m apart, and parents can take children to playgrounds or bike tracks in groups of less than 10. Fishing is still allowed with one other person. Families are also ­allowed to stay in beach shacks over the holidays provided there are no other guests.

Additional Reporting: Stephen Lunn