NSW
Police Public Site., Latest
News, 28-29
June 2021, excerpts:
Commencing
6pm Saturday (26 June 2021), social distancing and mandatory mask
wearing while in non-residential indoor settings became mandatory for
regional communities in NSW.
Northern
Region police are now urging the public to take responsibility to
ensure the safety of others, as residents and visitors travel the
region during the school holiday period.
Northern
Region Commander, Assistant Commissioner Peter McKenna APM, said the
public must not be complacent during this time and should comply with
current NSW Health guidelines.
“We
all have a responsibility to ensure the safety and wellbeing of those
around us, and to do that we have been advised to comply with the
guidelines delivered by NSW Health,” Assistant Commissioner McKenna
said.
“For
the minority of the public who choose to disregard this advice within
the Northern Region, police will be there to hold you accountable; be
it on the road, at public venues or events…..
The
following restrictions now apply to regional areas and will remain in
place until midnight on Friday 9 July 2021, unless extended or
repealed earlier.
Anyone
with information regarding individuals or businesses in contravention
of COVID-19-related ministerial directions is urged to contact Crime
Stoppers: 1800 333 000 or https://nsw.crimestoppers.com.au.
Information is treated in strict confidence. The public is reminded
not to report information via NSW Police social media pages.
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A
travel company has been issued a $5000 PIN for breaching a public
health order after taking three busloads of tourists to a zoo in the
state’s west yesterday.
About
9.30am (Monday 28 June 2021), three buses arrived at the zoo on Obley
Road, Dubbo.
On
board were 128 staff and guests – at least 76 of whom were not
permitted to travel outside Greater Sydney under the current public
health order.
Staff
at the zoo refused to allow the travellers off the buses and police
were called.
Officers
from Orana Mid-Western Police District attended and spoke to tour
operators, establishing the group had left Sydney last Friday (25
June 2021) and had continued to travel throughout regional NSW after
the Public Health Orders were updated on Saturday.
The
guests were directed to return home immediately and the tour company
has been issued a $5000 PIN.
State
Emergency Operations Controller, Deputy Commissioner Gary Worboys,
said the company owner told police he was aware of the public health
orders but decided to continue the tour as planned anyway.
“But
the staff at the zoo did exactly the right thing – they isolated
the risk and alerted police. They did a great job to protect the
local community,” Deputy Commissioner Worboys said.
Investigations
into further possible breaches are continuing.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
In
other incidents, a man and woman have been charged with offences
including assault after they allegedly refused to check in with a QR
code when entering a restaurant at Forster.
About
7.15pm yesterday (Monday 28 June 2021), the couple attended the Wharf
Street restaurant and were asked by staff to sign in using the QR
code.
They
refused and were informed they would have to leave if they did not
comply. It is alleged the man again refused and picked up a bottle of
water and threw it against a wall, smashing it.
The
man was escorted from the restaurant and it is further alleged the
man punched the owner, a 39-year-old man.
The
woman allegedly bit a 44-year-old man who was attempting to
intervene, causing bleeding and bruising to his bicep.
The
owner sustained facial injuries and a suspected broken nose and was
taken to Manning Base Hospital.
The
man and woman left the restaurant; however, officers from
Manning/Great Lakes Police District arrested both a short time later,
and took them to Forster Police Station.
The
34-year-old man was charged with assault occasioning actual bodily
harm, affray, intimidation and malicious damage.
The
27-year-old woman was charged with assault occasioning actual bodily
harm. They were granted conditional bail and are expected to appear
in Forster Local Court on Wednesday 28 July 2021.
They
were each issued $1000 PINs for fail to comply with noticed direction
re section 7/8/9 – COVID-19.
In
total, 34 PINs were issued yesterday and of those 16 were $200
infringements for failing to wear a fitted face covering.
Police
continue to appeal to the community to report suspected breaches of
any ministerial direction or behaviour which may impact on the health
and safety of the community.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Two
men are among 44 people issued with PINs for breaching a public
health order yesterday, after they had to be rescued from the Royal
National Park at Otford.
About
6pm (Sunday 27 June 2021), the men called for assistance after
becoming lost in bushland during a visit to a remote beach.
Police
Rescue assisted by the State Emergency Service, NSW Ambulance and
Polair responded to the area, locating a 30-year-old man naked and
carrying a backpack on the walking track near Lady Wakehurst Drive.
After
a further search, a 49-year-old man, partially clothed, was also
located. The men told police they were on a nearby beach when they
ran into bushland after being startled by a deer.
They
were taken to St George Police Station and issued $1000 PINs for
breaching the current public health order prohibiting those from
Greater Sydney travelling outside the region.
In
other incidents, a café operator has been charged and is subject to
strict bail conditions after being found allegedly breaching the
public health order at Shellharbour.
About
9.40am, officers from Lake Illawarra Police District attended a café
in Addison Street responding to reports staff were failing to comply
with the current public health orders.
When
officers arrived, they saw neither the staff or the operator were
wearing face masks; the operator was reminded of her obligations
under the current health orders but allegedly refused to comply.
The
two staff members were warned and complied, putting masks on;
however, a 38-year-old woman was arrested. She was taken to Port
Kembla Police Station where she was charged with fail to comply with
notice direction (not wear fitted face covering in retail/business
premises), and operator not ensure hospitality workers wear fitted
face coverings.
She
was given bail conditions to strictly comply with the public health
orders and not to incite or encourage others to defy them. She is due
to appear in Port Kembla Local Court on Wednesday 21 July 2021.
In
a third incident, police stopped a car on the Hume Highway at
Goulburn and spoke with the driver, a 33-year-old man from Ermington.
He was issued with a $1000 PIN and was directed to immediately return
to Sydney.
Police
have received hundreds of calls from the public over the weekend
reporting potential public health order breaches, and would like to
thank the vast majority of the community for their cooperation with
the new rules.
In
total, 44 $1000 PINs were issued yesterday and of those four $200
infringements were issued for failing to wear a fitted face covering.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The
Guardian,
29 June 2021:
[Australian
Deputy Prime Minister & Liberal MP For New England]
Barnaby Joyce has been fined $200 for not wearing a mask while paying
for petrol at a service station in Armidale after he was dobbed in by
a member of the public.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
