ITV Studios Australia allegedly failed to enforce mandatory stay-at-home public health order on its film crew while in the NSW Northern Rivers region

The twin diseases of 'exceptionalism' and 'entitlement' have been found lurking amongst visitors to the NSW Northern Rivers region yet again......

ABC News, 21 September 2021:

The COVID-19 case that sparked the lockdown on NSW's North Coast was a member of a film crew attached to reality show I'm a Celebrity … Get Me Out of Here!

The state government announced on Tuesday that the local government areas (LGAs) of Byron and Tweed would enter a snap seven-day lockdown after a woman tested positive for the virus.

The woman was an authorised worker but it is understood she did not follow stay-at-home orders while in the area.

The production company behind I'm A Celebrity … Get Me Out Of Here! confirmed one of its crew had contracted the virus.

The series is being filmed in the Northern Rivers…..

"The crew member is fully vaccinated and was wearing PPE while at work."

The production spokesperson said all close contacts of the crew member had been identified and were isolating while they awaited their test results.

"We are working with NSW Health to ensure all necessary steps are taken in relation to contact tracing, testing and further communication to anyone that needs to isolate," they said.

NSW Police said contact tracing was underway and authorities would investigate any alleged breaches of the Public Health Order.

The infected woman arrived in Ballina on Saturday morning at 8.45am on Virgin flight 1141.

Health authorities said the person was infectious over the weekend and on Monday in the Byron, Ballina and Tweed areas.

Northern NSW Local Health District (LHD) acting chief executive Lynne Weir said the Kingscliff Beach Hotel on Marine Parade was the only close contact venue identified so far, but health authorities expected to list more.

"We believe that Byron Bay will have quite a few sites, so that is an area of concern for us," she said…... 

A 20 September Northern NSW Local Health District media release revealed the woman allegedly drank at the Kingscliff Beach Hotel at 102 Marine Parade, Kingscliff on 19 September 2021, between the hours of 4:00pm – 9:00pm.

As a result; Anyone who attended the following venue at the times listed is a close contact and must get tested and isolate for 14 days since they were there, regardless of the result. NSW Health sends a text message to people who have checked in at close-contact venues with further information.

At the time she entered the hotel the ITV Australia employee had been in the area for less than 9 hours, however her infectious state was not known until two days later on 20 September 2021.

UPDATE

NSW Police, News, 22 September 2021:

A woman has been charged over multiple alleged breaches of the Public Health Orders in the state’s north. 

Officers from Tweed/Byron Police District commenced inquiries yesterday (Tuesday 21 September 2021), after receiving information a woman from Greater Sydney had travelled to the area and since tested positive for COVID-19. 

Inquiries revealed the 31-year-old woman had been granted an exemption to travel to the area for work-related purposes only. 

She allegedly attended several businesses and venues in Byron Bay and Kingscliff over the weekend, which was in breach of the conditions of her exemption. 

Further, she failed to check-in at those locations using the QR codes. 

The Rushcutters Bay woman was issued with a Court Attendance notice today (Wednesday 22 September 2021), for five counts of fail to comply with electronic registration directive. 

She is due to appear before Tweed Heads Local Court on Monday 8 November 2021. 

Inquiries continue.