Month: April 2020

Police have charged one person with offences under the Public Health Act 2010 (NSW) and issued 15 COVID-19 related Penalty Infringement Notices (PINs) since the last update.
Charges:

• About 8.40pm yesterday (Tuesday 7 April 2020), police from Tuggerah Lakes Police District were patrolling Yarramalong Rd, Wyong Creek, when they stopped the driver of a Hyundai for a random breath test, which returned a positive reading. The 27-year-old man was arrested and taken to Wyong Police Station, where a breath analysis returned a reading of 0.200. When asked about his reason for being out, it’s alleged the man was uncooperative and could not provide a reasonable excuse. While in custody, it’s further alleged the man urinated throughout the cell. He was charged with drive with high range PCA, destroy/damage property, and not comply with notice direction. The man is due to appear in Wyong Local Court on 29 April 2020.

PINs include:

• About 12pm yesterday (Tuesday 7 April 2020) officers attached to Mt Druitt Police Area Command were conducting a proactive patrol at a shopping mall in Mt Druitt when they located a man sitting at a picnic table. Police spoke with the 20-year-old man and established he had been warned on three separate occasions the day before (Monday 6 April 2020) after being sighted at the same location. He was issued with a $1000 PIN.

• During the same proactive patrol, at 12.20pm, officers spoke with a 37-year-old man in the vicinity of the shopping mall. He advised police he had left his home as he had to get out and see his friends. Officers issued him with a warning. About two hours later, at 2.30pm, the same male was seen sleeping on a bench nearby. He was issued with a $1000 PIN.

• About 2.15pm yesterday, officers from Lake Macquarie Police District attended a home at Edgeworth after receiving information a number of people were at the location in breach of a ministerial direction. On arrival, police spoke with two female residents of the property and two male visitors. Further inquiries established there had been previous calls to police for social gatherings at the location. The 25-year-old and 21-year-old men were each issued with a $1000 PIN.

• About 11.45am yesterday, officers from Inner West Police Area Command were conducting a proactive patrol when they observed two males sitting on a ledge. The men were not able to give a reasonable excuse for being there, and further inquiries established they had been given formal warnings for breaching a ministerial direction the previous evening. They were issued a move on direction and given a second warning. About 2.45pm, police were made aware of a group of four males congregating at a park nearby. Officers established two of the men (a 43-year-old man and a 58-year-old man) had been involved in the earlier interaction and they were issued with $1000 PINs. The remaining two men were given a warning and move on direction.

• About 8am yesterday, officers from Chifley Police District were patrolling the Bathurst township when they sighted a man walking along the footpath. Police spoke with the 41-year-old man, who gave several different reasons for being out of his home. He was issued with a $1000 PIN.

• About 8.45pm yesterday, officers from Newcastle City Police District stopped a vehicle on Russel Road, New Lambton, as part of inquiries of into an unrelated incident. Police spoke with the female driver and 27-year-old male passenger. Subsequent checks revealed the man had previous been given two warnings under the Public Health Act in the previous two days. He was issued a $1000 PIN after being unable to provide a reasonable excuse for being out, while the woman was given a warning, and both were directed to return home.

• Just after 6.30pm yesterday, officers from Traffic and Highway Patrol Command stopped a vehicle on Campbell Parade, Bondi, and spoke with the 30-year-old male driver, who advised he was going to visit a friend. Checks revealed the man’s vehicle was unregistered and didn’t have his licence on him. The Tamarama man was issued with Traffic Infringement Notices totalling $2172 for driving unregistered and uninsured and not carrying a licence, as well as a $1000 PIN under the Public Health Act.

• Police have issued three PINs after responding to a noise complaint in Forster last night. About 7.30pm, officers attached to Manning Great Lakes Police District attended a unit on South Street. As officers approached the door, the occupants were allegedly heard referring to “police” and the need for “social distancing.” Officers entered the unit and spoke with four people, one of whom resided at the address. The others, a 20-year-old woman and two men aged 29 and 25 were unable to provide a valid reason for not being home and were issued with $1000 fines.

• Three juveniles have been issued PINs after ignoring warnings to return to their homes. About 10.15pm on Monday (6 April 2020), officers attached to Wollongong Police District attended a unit on Carrington Street, Woonona, and spoke with four young people. One of them lived at the address, but the remaining three did not and had received warnings earlier that day regarding their failure to comply with COVID-19 restrictions. The three boys, aged 15, 16 and 17, have been issued with PINs for failing to be home without a reasonable excuse.

Since 17 March 2020, police have issued 11 Court Attendance Notices, and 136 PINs for breaches of the Public Health Act.
Anyone who has information regarding individuals or businesses in contravention of a COVID-19-related ministerial direction is urged to contact Crime Stoppers: https://nsw.crimestoppers.com.au. Information is treated in strict confidence. The public is reminded not to report crime via NSW Police social media pages.

A woman has been charged with assault after she allegedly spat on a supermarket worker in the South Coast today.
About 2pm (Wednesday 8 April 2020), a woman attended a supermarket on Burton Street, Vincentia, and was asked to follow new social distancing procedures while shopping due to the current COVID-19 pandemic.
The woman, aged 35, became verbally abusive to one staff member before being denied entry into the store by a second staff member.
Upon being refused entry, the 35-year-old allegedly became aggressive and when she was asked to leave by the staff member, a 49-year-old woman, she allegedly spat in her face.
A further physical struggle followed, with the 35-year-old allegedly pulling the 49-year-old woman’s hair, gouging her eyes and causing jewellery to be damaged, before she left the scene.
Both women suffered minor injuries.
Officers attached to South Coast Police District were alerted to the incident.
Following inquiries, police attended a home on Walmer Ave, Sanctuary Point, and arrested a 35-year-old woman.
She was issued a Future Court Attendance Notice to appear at Nowra Local Court on Monday 15 June 2020, for the offences of common assault, assault occasioning actual bodily harm and destroy or damage property.

The NSW Police Force has been joined by the Australian Defence Force to assist in quarantine compliance at selected NSW Ports.
As part of arrangements with Australian Border Force relating to the management of shipping in NSW, the Marine Area Command has coordinated the deployment of police to the ports of Newcastle, Port Kembla, Port Botany and White Bay.
To assist with deployments, ADF personnel will be stationed at selected ports to monitor compliance under the Public Health (COVID-19 Maritime Quarantine) Order 2020.
NSW Police Force officers from Eastern Beaches Police Area Command and Lake Illawarra and Wollongong Police Districts, supported by ADF personnel commenced deployments at Port Botany and Port Kembla yesterday (Tuesday 7 April 2020).
Deployments to other ports – including Newcastle and Eden – are expected to roll out later this week.
The ADF personnel are in supporting roles and are not authorised as law enforcement officers.

NSW frontline healthcare workers will be provided with free accommodation to protect their loved ones as part of $100 million in extra measures to support frontline staff battling COVID-19.
The NSW Government is allocating almost $60 million to provide doctors, nurses, paramedics and other hospital and ambulance staff with the option of staying in out-of-home accommodation during the pandemic.
The package will also support medical research and vaccine trials to beat COVID-19, as well as commercialise research products and boost domestic supply chains.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian said this funding would not only provide support for healthcare workers now but would also give them the resources to tackle COVID-19 head-on in the coming months.
“Nobody should go to work and worry that it will put their families at risk especially when they are working so hard to protect us. This funding is the least we can do to keep healthcare workers and their families safe,” Ms Berejiklian said.
“Our health professionals are among the best in the world and we must do everything we can to help them not just now but also in the weeks and months ahead as we battle this virus.”
Treasurer Dominic Perrottet said providing free accommodation to hospital staff was a crucial plank in the health support package.
“The last thing the brave men and women in our health system should have to worry about is that their jobs will result in their loved ones being exposed to this virus,” Mr Perrottet said.
“As was the case during the bushfires our health system will have all the resources it needs so our frontline health workers can save lives and look after themselves.”
Local health districts will work with staff to make sure accommodation is close to work or their families, depending on individual needs.
Health Minister Brad Hazzard said no stone would be left unturned when it came to supporting the health system. Mr Hazzard said the vital health package will also include $25 million in funding for medical research and vaccine trials to help develop a cure to beat COVID-19 as well as $11 million to quickly get work from NSW’s world class universities and partner research institutions to market.
“Frontline health staff who have the community’s back now know that the community and the government have their back. This funding gives them options on accommodation when they’re doing battle with COVID-19,” Mr Hazzard said.
“Options to protect their family and to protect themselves are critical, and now they can choose what’s best in their own circumstances without worrying about a drain on their budget.”
The package also includes $10 million to work with NSW engineering, electrical and manufacturing businesses to urgently undertake pilot projects to produce ventilators and other critical medical equipment locally.
Key elements of the support package include:

• $58 million for health worker accommodation
• $25 million for medical research and vaccine trials
• $11 million for commercialisation of research products
• $10 million Funding to partner with industry to boost domestic supply chains.

The NSW Government has already committed $700 million extra funding for NSW Health as part of a $2.3 billion health boost and economic stimulus package announced on March 17.
This funding boost is helping double ICU capacity, preparing for additional COVID-19 testing, purchasing additional ventilators and medical equipment and establishing acute respiratory clinics.

Hundreds of millions of dollars will remain in the hands of NSW businesses from today, giving them much needed cash flow and allowing them more scope to retain employees, with the NSW Government’s payroll tax assistance beginning to take effect.
The NSW Government has deferred payroll tax payments for all businesses for six months in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Businesses with payrolls of $10 million or less will also be eligible for a 25 per cent reduction in their annual liabilities for 2019-20, when they complete their annual reconciliation. These businesses will save around $450 million in payroll tax in 2019-20.
NSW Treasurer Dominic Perrottet said these measures will provide much needed cash flow and boost the liquidity of business at a critical time.
“This is about ensuring businesses are not paying tax when they are most in need,” Mr Perrottet said.
“Instead of sending the Government a payment we have deferred their tax to free up their funds at this critical time.”
The latest monthly payroll tax payments for businesses are due on 7 April and these payments can be deferred.
NSW Treasurer Dominic Perrottet said the health, families and jobs of the people of the state are all top priorities.
“This will leave money in the pockets of businesses which will help them deal with this once-in-a generation event,” he said.
“These are unprecedented times and we want to give NSW businesses every opportunity to make it through to the other side.”
The NSW Government on 17 March announced the following measures:

• 25 per cent reduction of annual payroll tax liabilities for businesses with payrolls of $10 million or less in 2019-20, meaning these businesses will save a quarter of their annual payroll tax bill for 2019-20. This measure will provide $450 million in tax savings.
• Bringing forward the next round of payroll tax cuts by increasing the threshold to $1 million on 1 July 2020. This measure will provide $56 million in tax savings.

The NSW Government on 27 March announced the following measures:

• The deferral of payroll tax payments for all businesses, including those with payrolls over $10 million, for six months (up to $4 billion deferred). Small businesses that already received a 25 per cent reduction in payroll tax for 2019-20 in the first announcement would now get an additional three-month deferral as well.

On 3 April, the NSW Government announced thousands of small businesses across NSW would receive grants of up to $10,000 under the $750 million Small Business Support Fund.
Mr Perrottet said the NSW Government is doing all it can to help keep businesses afloat.
“We’re supporting them to keep people in jobs and businesses in business,” he said.

A planned police operation will commence tomorrow morning to repatriate those in mandatory self-isolation at a hotel in Sydney CBD.
Since arriving in Australia on Thursday 26 March 2020, 288 people have undertaken their mandatory 14-day self-isolation in Sydney.
This period of self-isolation concludes tomorrow (Wednesday 8 April 2020), and the NSW Police Force is working with travellers to ensure their departure from the hotel is quick, simple and seamless.
Police have been coordinating with the travellers to collate onward travel plans and determine how best to assist their repatriation home, whether in NSW or interstate.
All travellers will undergo a final health check before departing the hotel and will still be required to adhere to all other directions under the Public Health Act as they make their way home.
The next phase of the repatriation operation, which will be those who returned to NSW on or after Sunday 29 March 2020 and are quarantined under the Public Health (COVID-19 Air Transportation Quarantine) Order 2020, will begin on Saturday (11 April 2020).