Nice and all, but is a Big Mac worth a 300km drive and a $1652 fine? Photo / Getty Images
Nice and all, but is a Big Mac worth a 300km drive and a $1652 fine? Photo / Getty Images
Police issued a A$1652 (NZ$1778) fine yesterday to a person who drove from Melbourne to the border town of Wodonga claiming to be on a Macca's run "for a Big Mac", in breach of coronavirus restrictions.
Police have also given out almost 300 fines for not wearing masks. In thepast 24 hours 168 fines have been issued for breaching public health orders, 31 one of those for not wearing masks.
At a briefing this morning, Police Minister Lisa Neville slammed the "appalling behaviour" of some rule breakers who were disregarding coronavirus restrictions which demand Melburnians remain in the city. One of the state's top cops said too many Victorian were being "selfish".
The state announced 397 new cases of Covid-19 on Saturday. The restriction level remains at three but Premier Daniel Andrews "couldn't rule out" further restrictions being imposed.
Andrews said there had been "some quite amazing examples" of people ignoring restrictions and copping a fine.
"This will not end anytime soon if people don't follow those rules. For those who are not doing the right thing, you have got to make much better choices, much better choices than have been made in recent times.
"I don't want to detract from the great work that so many Victorians are doing, but it is appropriate to call out really bad behaviour when we see it."
Neville said most people were abiding by the Covid-19 restrictions but she was astounded by some of those who were not.
"We are still continuing to see appalling behaviour. I know Victorians themselves are fed up with, I am fed up with it, Victoria Police are fed up with it.
"Can I be really clear, just in case there is any doubt at all, that there is absolutely no reason or need to drive from Melbourne to Wodonga to have a Big Mac. That is one of the fines that was issued yesterday," she said.
Nice and all, but is a Big Mac worth a 300km drive and a $1652 fine? Photo / Getty Images
"There is absolutely no reason or need to drive from Melbourne to Ballarat for fresh air.
"There is absolutely no reason to drive from Werribee out to Springvale to buy groceries.
"Why would people think that is okay? They don't care. It can't be because people aren't aware of the rules."
Neville added that 10 $1652 fines were given out for a group who decided to have a party in a West Melbourne property rented on website Airbnb. Another person went from Bentleigh to Sunbury for a takeaway, while others have been caught visiting brothels.
One man said he had travelled from Thornbury to Werribee for a haircut.
Victoria Police Deputy Commissioner Rick Nugent said 270 fines had been issued for not wearing masks and not having an exemption.
"There are some people who are blatantly selfish. What we are seeing are too many individuals going about their lives as though this pandemic doesn't exist."
Andrews said "the time for warnings was well over".
"There is no excuse. No-one could claim that they didn't know about having to wear a mask. No-one could claim that travelling from one side of Melbourne to the other to get something you can get just metres from your home.
"Seriously, I think people, deep down, know and understand these rules. We will just gotta make better choices."
