THREE men from Sydney, who sought a COVID vaccine at a Lavington clinic, have been fined $1000 each for breaching public health order rules.
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Murray River police district chief Superintendent Paul Smith revealed the penalties on Friday at a media conference where he also outlined other offences by those travelling to the Border from COVID hotspots in Sydney.
He said the men who went to the Sarkon clinic at Lavington Square on Wednesday for COVID shots had been on the Border as authorised workers, however they were failing to comply with their permits which required them to limit their movements.
"Going shopping which the case will be alleged here, some browsing at shops and what not is certainly not part of the requirements of getting essential goods and services," Superintendent Smith said.
The trio, who were tradies' clothing, had been seen on security camera going further into Lavington Square after having left the clinic where they had argued with staff.
"They breached the public health order in not obeying the stay at home rule whilst they were here and they've all been fined and they are back in Sydney," Superintendent Smith said.
The top policeman also said an operation checking all cars travelling south on the Hume Highway at Woomargama for four hours on Wednesday had uncovered rogue motorists.
"Out of the operation there was a breach...with two people from the metropolitan area travelling to Albury to pick up a dog, they were fined and turned around," Superintendent Smith said.
"There was another removalist turned around, who although was permitted wasn't following the requirements of the public health order.
"At that roadblock also there was a drug-affected driver detected as well."
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The removalist was travelling from Queensland to undertake a job on the Border, but transgressed the public health order by staying in Sydney rather than simply transitting through.
Superintendent Smith also outlined a case which has seen a man remanded in Junee jail.
"A Sydney man on the Hume Freeway between here and Holbrook about 2am yesterday, he had had been turned away from the ACT and fined, he had also been turned away at Queanbeyan and fined," he said.
"He was arrested and put before the court yesterday and he's been remanded in custody until the end of September in breaching the public health order, so he will be in Junee jail until that period.
"That shows what view the magistrate has about breaches of the public health order."
