Over $2 million worth of Covid-19 fines issued in Queensland!
On Saturday 2 May, Queensland’s Home Confinement, Movement and Gathering Direction was amended to ease the restrictions on staying home.
The main amendment being that people are now allowed to leave their home for recreation within a 50 kilometre radius of the person’s principal place of residence.
“Recreation” has been defined to mean an activity engaged in for pleasure or for mental health benefits, including:
- motorcycle riding, jet skiing, boating and other forms of personalised transport;
- driving a motor vehicle, including for a learner driver to accumulate driving hours to comply with logbook requirements for the learner driver’s practical driving test, but the learner driver may only be supervised by a member of the learner driver’s household;
- shopping at a place permitted to remain open under the relevant Direction; and
- having a picnic in a park or public space that remains open under the relevant Direction.
Whilst majority of the state took on board the warnings issued by our government and the Police, there were 32 people across Queensland who found themselves issues with on the spot fines on Saturday 2 May.[1]
It is important to remember that the rules restricting the number of visitors allowed at a residence, and who you can leave your house with, continue to apply.
A news article from myPolice Queensland Police News revealed officers were called to a noise complaint at Carrara at Friday night and seven men aged 21 to 25 years old were issued fines for breaching Covid-19 laws and a Noise Abatement Notice was also issued.[2]
The following day, a further 18 infringement notices were issued (to 12 men and six women, aged between 19 and 25) at the same Gold Coast residence after Police raided another house party – this time Police are said to have also seized stereo equipment to ensure the Noise Abatement Notice was complied with.[3]
The 18 party goers in Carrara were not the only ones who found themselves facing a $1,334 fine. A 28-year-old man in Pimpama was also fined on Saturday night for hosting a party after Police saw dozens of people fleeing an address when they attended to address a noise complaint.[4]
Brisbane residents were also in strife after Police were called to Banyo Saturday evening and 9 people (all in their early 20s) were fined for breaching the home confinement direction.[5]
The crowds at Burleigh over the long weekend managed to escape with warning. Whilst the sheer number of attendees has sparked outrage, Police issued move-on directions, rather than issuing fines.[6]
Queenslanders have been reminded to apply social distancing and continue to follow the home confinement directions, as the fines issued hit over $2 million.
According to Queensland Police Service statistics published in a recent Brisbane Times article[7], between 27 March, 2020 and 12.01am 5 May, 2020:
- 1,778 breach of public health directions infringements notices have been issued;
- 2,014 vehicles have been turned around at state borders;
- 4,971 compliance checks have been conducted on quarantined individuals; and
- 7,236 compliance checks have been conducted on non-essential businesses.
The Queensland Police are taking these directions very seriously and have recently set up an easy online form for reporting breaches.[8]
If you need advice in relation to the home confinement directions, please give our office a call to discuss how our experienced criminal lawyers can assist you with the Covid-19 laws.
[1]“Queensland COVID-19 fines now exceed $2 million” by Darren Cartwright in Brisbane Times, 3 May 2020. See https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/national/queensland/queensland-covid-19-fines-now-exceed-2-million-20200503-p54pb5.htmlfor full article.
[2]“Fines issued at Gold Coast house parties” by myPolice in myPolice Queensland Police News, 4 May 2020. See https://mypolice.qld.gov.au/news/2020/05/04/fines-issued-at-gold-coast-house-parties/for full article.
[6]“Police “disappointed” at Burleigh crows but no fines issued” by Matt McDonald, 4 May 2020. See http://www.mygc.com.au/police-disappointed-at-burleigh-crowds-but-no-fines-issued/for full article.
[7]“Queensland COVID-19 fines now exceed $2 million” by Darren Cartwright in Brisbane Times, 3 May 2020. See https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/national/queensland/queensland-covid-19-fines-now-exceed-2-million-20200503-p54pb5.htmlfor full article.
[8]“New online form to report Covid-19 breaches” by myPolice in myPolice Queensland Police News, 27 April 2020. See https://mypolice.qld.gov.au/news/2020/04/27/new-online-form-to-report-covid-19-breaches/for full article.