More Victorian Police and Australian Defence Force (ADF) personnel are to be out in force to ensure people are abiding by the directions of the Chief Health Officer (CHO) as the Coronavirus pandemic Stage Four restrictions come into effect.
In a statement, Premier Daniel Andrews said a new infringement offence for a breach of the CHO directions had been introduced to target people who were failing to self-isolate after testing positive to COVID-19 or being identified as a close contact.
“A fine of $4,957 can be issued to a person who is found to breach the requirement to be self-isolating for a second or subsequent time – the highest on the spot infringement Victoria Police can issue to a person,” Mr Andrews said.
“In line with the raft of changes we’ve made under Stage Four restrictions this week, people who have tested positive or are close contacts will no longer be able to leave their homes for exercise,” he said.
“A limited number of reasons to leave the home will remain – including seeking medical care, in an emergency, or if required by law – but if your door is knocked and you’re not able to prove you were out for the right reasons, you will face the consequences.”
Mr Andrews said there would be an additional 250 sworn officers joining Victoria Police’s Operation Sentinel, as well as 500 ADF personnel and 300 authorised officers joining door knocking efforts to ensure people were abiding by CHO restrictions.
He said that under Stage Four restrictions, which are now in place across metropolitan Melbourne, hairdressers, call centres and many retail businesses had to close.
Mr Andrews said shops that could remain open included supermarkets, grocery stores, bottle shops, petrol stations, pharmacies, convenience stores, newsagents, banks and post offices.
