Premier warns Tasmanians failing to abide social distancing to ‘stay home and save lives’

Premier Peter Gutwein has cracked down on food markets and statewide travel, reminding Tasmanians that staying home will save lives.

WHILE most of Hobart was practically deserted yesterday, a small crowd turned out for the weekly farmer’s market in the city centre.

While those in attendance and stall keepers generally observed social distancing advice, Premier Peter Gutwein again urged people to stay home and only go out for work, school, exercise or to buy essential supplies.

Hobart's Farmgate Market in Bathurst Street on Sunday.

He said images of crowds he had seen from the Farm Gate market in Hobart were “very concerning”.

“Photographs can tell different stories depending on what angle you look at them from,” he said. “What we want people to do is to socially distance.”

He said he asked police officers to attend the market to ensure people kept their distance.

“Food markets, I think, are important to enable people to have an opportunity to shop elsewhere than a supermarket.

“But, if we’re going to have a crowd that looks like a football crowd at a food market then that’s not working, and we will need to look at both the model going forward and whether or not markets like that can continue to go forward in the current circumstances.”

Mr Gutwein also chastised people travelling between their homes and shacks.

He said he had heard from retirees and older Tasmanians in seaside communities that visitors were still entering the villages and staying at their shacks.

“Those retirees, they are a high-risk group,” he said.

“Travelling between your home and your shack increases the chance of spread to these communities and that would be devastating.”

He warned the coronavirus will eventually lead to deaths in Tasmania.