Two NSW pubs have joined the ranks of businesses being fined for breaching Public Health Orders over COVID-19, as police get tough on mandated restrictions.
On the weekend plain clothes officers fined the Auburn Hotel in Sydney’s west $5,000 for multiple breaches of the current coronavirus safety regulations.
The required sign-in register was reportedly full of fake names and incomplete phone numbers and a digital register was not being maintained, patrons were seated side-by-side (too closely) playing poker machines, the pub’s COVID-safe plan was deemed insufficient and it wasn’t registered as a COVID-safe business.
“This really isn’t good enough, especially as Auburn Hotel is in Sydney’s west, which is currently linked to a number of COVID cases,” stressed Dimitri Argeres, Liquor & Gaming NSW Director of Compliance.
Separately, on Friday night police found more than 30 young people failing to abide by social distancing rules at the Imperial Hotel Armidale. It too received a $5,000 fine.
The standard penalty for contravening a Public Health Order is an on-the-spot Penalty Infringement Notice (PIN), of $1,000 for individuals and $5,000 for businesses. The maximum penalty is $11,000 and/or six months imprisonment.
New England Police District Commander, Superintendent Scott Tanner, says it is everyone’s problem and all should take note.
“Whilst it is the responsibility of licensed premises to ensure they’re complying with Public Health Orders, the public have to understand they’re putting those premises at risk and they may also be held liable.
“The parties that put this licensed premises at risk were young people whose behaviour was a display of recklessness, and if they think they’re immune to COVID-19, or to Public Health Orders, they can think again.
“Up until this stage we’ve been trying to work with the community and with licensed premises, but clearly that’s fallen on deaf ears so we have no other option than to enforce these Public Health Orders and we will continue to do so.”
In Roma, the Commonwealth Hotel and some patrons may face fines for COVID-19 violations, after police responded to a call from security on Saturday night to find a large crowd outside the venue.
Around 11:30 the owner reportedly shut the bar and ordered an “uncontrollable” group to leave. Multiple disturbances broke out.
One 24-year-old male was cited for convening a liquor banning order, while a 19-year-old female was charged with three offences, including serious assault, allegedly on the security guard.
Late June undercover police executed covert operations in pubs in Queensland’s south-west, fining three $6,672 each for breaching Public Health Orders.