Increased fines of up to $5,000 for COVID breaches, permits to enter regional NSW and a heightened police presence have been introduced, as NSW continues to battle the Delta variant.
Premier, Gladys Berejiklian said the new compliance rules and increased fines were introduced on Monday (16 August), along with $320 COVID-19 Test and Isolate Support Payments and a reduction of the 10km travel radius for shopping, exercise and outdoors to 5km.
“The vast majority of people are doing the right thing, but there are a handful of people who are wilfully breaking the rules and putting the rest of the community at risk,” Ms Berejiklian said.
“The increased fines and heightened police presence are about ensuring people who are doing the wrong thing are caught and punished appropriately,” she said.
Ms Berejiklian said the increased fines for Public Health Order breaches included a $5,000 on-the-spot fine for breaching self-isolation rules; $5,000 on-the-spot fine for lying on a permit (already a criminal offence); $5,000 on-the-spot fine for lying to a contact tracer (already a criminal offence); $3,000 on-the-spot fine for breaching the two-person outdoor exercise/recreation rule; and $3,000 on-the-spot fine for breaching rules around entry into regional NSW for authorised work, inspecting real estate and travelling to a second home.
The Premier said people from Greater Sydney were only able to travel to regional NSW if they had a permit to inspect real estate, excluding investment properties; travel to a second home; or if they were an authorised worker.
She said additional restrictions had also been introduced for residents of Local Government Areas of concern, including that people must register their ‘singles bubble’ and outdoor recreation was no longer a reason to leave home.
Minister for Police and Emergency Services, David Elliott said the NSW Police Force would have an increased and more visible presence across Greater Sydney, backed up by 500 additional Australian Defence Force personnel.
