Man to face court for abusing police after being caught in public not wearing a mask

Two people have been arrested and dozens of drivers have been turned around for failing to abide by lockdown restrictions. See all the rules for gatherings, businesses and households here >>

MORE than 1000 vehicles have been checked and about 90 have been turned around, with 16 public health infringement notices issued and two lockdown restriction arrests amid the southern snap lockdown.

Tasmania Police Deputy Commissioner Donna Adams confirmed a male was arrested in the northern suburbs on Friday night during lockdown.

“It was identified that this male had a gathering which was outside the public health restrictions,” she said.

“The person was fined in relation to that breach $778.50.”

Police said the 46-year-old Hobart man was charged with failing to comply with a direction of the director of Public Health.

Tasmania Police officers check cars at the Tunbridge lockdown checkpoint. Picture: Josh Agnew

Another man was arrested in Kingston on Saturday for not wearing a mask.

While others have only been cautioned for not wearing a mask, the 56-year-old Kingston man was arrested when he refused to put on a mask when advised to do so by police.

“He then became abusive and he was arrested,” Deputy Commissioner Adams said.

“This particular individual will go through the courts and so that’s a matter for the magistrate.

“Three individuals (were identified) failing to comply with a mask requirement. And those three individuals received a caution.”

Nearly 100 cars were forced to turn around at the Tunbridge lockdown checkpoint. Picture: Josh Agnew

Two more people were issued infringement notices for failing to comply with a direction of the director of Public Health.

Tasmania Police Assistant Commissioner Jonathan Higgins said motorists travelling for non-essential reasons would be turned around.

EXPLAINED: How Tassie’s snap three-day lockdown affects you

There are only five reasons to leave home — shopping for essential supplies within 5km of your home or closest store, personal exercise (once a day for a total of two hours only), medical or healthcare appointments (including to be tested or be vaccinated), to work if an essential worker, or to school if the child is not able to learn from home.

Other permitted reasons will include for childcare or seeking veterinary services for animals.

Indoor and outdoor gatherings are not allowed and no more than 10 guests are allowed at funerals.

No weddings are allowed, unless for compassionate reasons, when there would be only five people allowed.

Businesses are permitted to open with a Covid safety plan — cafes, restaurants and hotels can open for takeaway only.

Day spas, hair salons and beauty salons will not be permitted to open.

Civil, residential and commercial construction will be shut for three days except for emergency repairs.

Bunnings will be shut unless for tradespeople or an emergency need.

Face masks are required outside the home both indoors and outdoors for the next three days.

Tasmanians who are currently in the ACT, NSW and Victoria, will not be permitted to return to southern Tasmania during the lockdown period.

Premier Peter Gutwein. Picture: Chris Kidd

Mr Gutwein said people must be prepared to work and study from home and go out only when absolutely necessary.

Year 12 exams scheduled for Monday will be able to take place but only under Covid rules.

Tasmania Police will be establishing roadblocks and penalties will be issued if people do not comply.

Financial support for businesses and employees will be made available for those affected.

Mr Gutwein said there would be daily media updates during the lockdown.

“We might get to Monday evening at 6pm and we may see no more cases … we may see many more cases,” he said.

“One of the things we do not want to be in this state is Sydney or Melbourne who acted too late.

“Unfortunately, the information we have around those people has been difficult to gauge. We are receiving information from the public including touch points that people might have attended.”

Public Health director Mark Veitch said he was disappointed to be sharing such news.

“However, as the Premier has said, we have always been ready to go into a short, sharp lockdown to mitigate risk to Tasmania,” he said.

“At this moment we are at the highest risk of having Covid transmission in our state at any time this year.”

The Covid-positive man travelled to Tasmania on Monday night and tested positive on Wednesday morning.

Public Health director Dr Mark Veitch. Picture: Chris Kidd

Dr Veitch said the man spent an estimated 18 hours in the community.

There were initially 39 primary close contacts who are at highest risk of catching Covid from the man. So far all tests have come back negative.

There are 19 casual contacts whose tests will be returned over the weekend.

It was found that the man had spent time at Woolworths in Bridgewater.

Dr Veitch said CCTV was monitored to identify when the man was at Woolworths on Tuesday afternoon, between 3.30pm and 4pm.

The footage was verified on Thursday night.

About 80 people have been identified as being at Woolworths during that time.

The man was also at Montrose Park late on Monday night, from 11.30pm until 1.30am.

That location is now also an exposure site.

“There’s a lot of testing happening at the moment in the northern suburbs of Hobart, and there are people that have come forward for testing that thought they had been in contact with that man,” Dr Veitch said.

State health commander Kathrine Morgan-Wicks said people were allowed to leave home to be tested for Covid-19, or to be vaccinated against the virus.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

How long will it last?

From 6pm Friday night to 6pm Monday night depending on Public Health advice.

Where does it include?

Locked down LGAs include:

• Hobart
• Brighton
• Glenorchy
• Clarence
• Derwent Valley
• Glamorgan Spring Bay
• Huon Valley
• Kingborough
• Southern Midlands
• Sorell
• Tasman

Face masks

Face masks must be worn outside the home by everyone 12 years and older. This includes when shopping, exercising or when in a public space. This doesn’t apply to primary school students, or people who have a medical exemption. You must carry a mask with you at all times, in case it is unexpectedly required.

Stay at home

Stay at home when possible.

Only leave home for:

• Shopping: one person per household at any one time can shop for necessary goods within 5km of home.
• Medical supplies or treatment: including to have a Covid-19 test or to receive a vaccine.
• Work, volunteering or education and child care, where it can’t be done from home.
• Exercise: with members of your household OR one other person for safety reasons, outdoors only and within 5km of your home.
• For compassionate reasons: such as end-of-life care or to support a vulnerable person.

If you need to leave home for any of the above reasons, you must:

• Wear a face mask whenever you are outside your home.
• Travel to and from your destination via the most direct route available without stopping, except to get fuel, rest or as required by law.
• You must not stay away from home for longer than is necessary to carry out your activity.
• You may use public or passenger transport to leave your house for a permitted reason. When accessing public transport wear a mask. Gathering/physical distancing restrictions do not apply in this circumstance, eg on a public bus.

If you have left your home for a permitted reason and need to stay somewhere that is not your primary residence, you must treat that new location as your home and comply with the “Stay at Home” restrictions while you are there. You may stay there only for as long as is necessary to complete the task you left home for.

Shopping

Urgent household supplies are goods that ensure the necessities of an individual or household’s life are maintained. For guidance, this would include:

• access to safe food and water (i.e. by having a working fridge or oven to store and prepare the food)
• shelter
• access to internet or a computer (to continue to remain connected socially, to earn an income, to access government services, to access news and information)
• another item that would otherwise leave the purchaser or their household vulnerable if they did not have the item.

Urgent household supplies do not include recreational goods or items used for entertainment, leisure, decoration, comfort, pleasure or enjoyment, that if without would not pose significant health or safety risks to an individual or their household. Remaining retail (i.e. non-urgent retail such as games, luxury items, recreation such as books and DVDs, household comforts) must not be sold during the lockdown.

This restricts the movement of staff into retail businesses to facilitate click and collect or delivery services (including associated packaging), during a time when the spread of the disease is not fully known.

The sale of retail will be a priority to resolve once the initial response has occurred.

Only one person from a household can shop at any one time. A support person or dependant can accompany the shopper if required.

Shoppers must buy what they need and then leave – no browsing.

Face masks must be worn.

Check in TAS must be used in all premises where it is required.

Shopping may occur more than 5km away from home if:

• The shop you need to attend is more than 5km away; and
• You travel to the next nearest location

Shoppers must travel by the most direct and practicable route available without stopping except as required by law, or as necessary to stop for fuel or rest.

Contactless collection and delivery should be used where possible.

Exercise and sports

Outdoor exercise only, within 5km of your home and no longer than 2 hours.

Exercise alone or:

• with members of your household, including carers or
• one person from another household for safety reasons only.

Leisure and recreation facilities are closed unless used for physical rehabilitation. Read more about this exception (link to new secondary page – see below).

Public playgrounds, skate parks, BMX tracks and outside gyms, including static exercise equipment in council parks, are closed.

Community facilities such as halls, recreation centres, youth centres and public barbecues – can only be used for essential voluntary or public services. Read more about these exceptions (link to new secondary page – see below)

Museums, galleries, national and state institutions and historic sites and similar premises are closed.

Gatherings

Indoor and outdoor gatherings are not allowed in southern Tasmania. This includes social gatherings and organised events.

Previously approved Covid Safe events cannot go ahead.

Home visitors

No visitors to homes unless:

• supporting a vulnerable person
• visiting as part of a significant relationship
• visiting as part of a visitor “bubble” with someone who lives alone and who is not in a significant relationship.
• Receiving health, medical, emergency or other permitted care in the home.

Weddings and funerals

• No weddings, unless for compassionate reasons and then only five people – the couple, two witnesses and a celebrant.
• No more than 10 guests at funerals, not including children under 12 months of age or staff conducting the funeral.

Places of worship

Only live-streaming of ceremonies and religious gatherings is allowed with maximum three people present (one person to conduct and one to video and one to provide Auslan interpretation).

Education

Schools from Kinder to grade 12 in Southern Tasmania will be open on Monday 18 October 2021 (during the three day lockdown) for children of permitted workers and those who are unable to learn at home.

Students in years 7 – 12 must wear face masks at school, unless they are not yet 12 years old. Staff must also wear face masks.

Year 11 and 12 exams are permitted to occur.

See which municipalities are included in Southern Tasmania. Schools outside the lockdown area are not impacted.

Schools

It is expected that schools will resume as normal from of Tuesday 19 October.

More detail is available on the Department of Education website.

The requirement for people aged 12 years and older to wear face masks does not apply to primary school children while they are at school.

Read more about face masks.

Universities and other higher education facilities are closed, other than for the maintenance of essential research activities at scientific or medical facilities. Remote learning can continue.

Aged care and hospitals

Permitted visitors – Hospitals:

• A person who is a patient
• The person is employed or engaged at the hospital, or a student undertaking clinical placement
• The person is providing goods or services necessary for the operation of the hospital
• The person is providing health and medical services to a patient at the hospital, for example a visiting specialist
• The person is the parent or guardian of a child who is a patient
• The person is assisting a patient with mobility, communication, or comprehension difficulties or is assisting with legal or administrative requirements
• A nominated support person for a patient giving birth
• A person who is providing end of life support for a patient at the hospital
• In an emergency at the hospital
• A person is providing support to a patient who is suffering from dementia or similar condition and the person is required by the hospital to assist in reducing distress or confusion in the patient

Permitted visitors – Residential aged care facilities:

• A person is a resident
• The person is employed or engaged by the facility
• The person is providing goods or services necessary for the operation of the facility
• The person is providing goods or services to a resident
• A person who is providing end of life support for a resident at the facility
• In an emergency
• A person is providing support to a resident who is suffering from dementia or similar condition and the person is required by the operator of the facility to assist in reducing distress or confusion in the resident

Businesses

Density of one person per four square metres will apply in most businesses and premises that remain open (with some exemptions e.g. airports, passenger transport).

View essential businesses and services, open with restrictions and closed businesses

Travel to Tasmania

Southern Tasmania is currently in lockdown.

Tasmanian residents currently interstate who have travel booked to return to Tasmania between 6pm, Friday 15 October and 6pm, Monday 18 October, will still be able to return home to Tasmania. If you are returning to your residence in southern Tasmania you must wear a face mask in transit and travel directly to your residence and enter lockdown.

People arriving from low-risk areas are required to comply with the lockdown measures. People who have been in medium and high-risk areas must quarantine.

Non-Tasmanian residents wanting to travel to the state are encouraged to reconsider their travel to Tasmania at this time.

Anyone currently in the state who wishes to leave Tasmania between 6pm, Friday 15 October and 6pm, Monday 18 October is advised to check the restrictions in place in the jurisdiction they want to travel to, and find out whether that jurisdiction will accept your arrival.

If you decide to leave Tasmania from a lockdown area, you must wear a face mask while you travel to the airport or seaport, and travel there as directly as possible without making unnecessary stops.

Travel within Tasmania

A lockdown applies to Tasmania’s southern region area.

You must not enter or exit the lockdown area unless you have a permitted reason.

Permitted reasons to enter or exit Southern Tasmania include:

• Obtaining goods and services that cannot be reasonably obtained outside the lockdown area.
• To attend work that cannot be undertaken at home.
• To go to early learning (child care), primary or secondary school, if the child cannot be supported to study from home.

To provide support, or care, to another person due to age, infirmity, illness or a chronic health condition; other matters relating to the person’s health, including mental health, pregnancy and end of life care.

You are permitted to exit a lockdown area to provide care to a person if no other alternatives are available, e.g. you are inside the lockdown area but the person you are caring for is outside the lockdown area and can’t access care outside the lockdown area.

You are permitted to enter or exit the lockdown area if you are usually a resident of another area. You can enter the lockdown area to return home but note that once you have returned home, all of the lockdown restrictions apply to you. You cannot leave the area again without a valid reason. If you are leaving the lockdown area to return to your usual home outside lockdown, you must continue to abide by the lockdown rules – see more.

Source: Tasmanian Government