Nine Penalty Infringement Notices (PINs) have been issued after crew members and passengers on board a vessel travelling along the NSW coast from Victoria disembarked onto NSW soil, contrary to current Public Health Orders.
On Tuesday 25 August 2020, NSW Police Force's Marine Area Command launched an investigation into the movements of a vessel, which was travelling from Victoria to the Gold Coast, while it was in NSW waters.
Inquiries revealed three occasions in which individuals had disembarked the vessel in contravention of the Public Health Order – at Eden on Wednesday 12 August, Port Stephens on Sunday 16 August and Yamba on Friday 21 August 2020.
As a result, officers from Tweed Heads Water Police, with the assistance of Queensland Police, spoke with the six individuals concerned today (Friday 4 September 2020) and advised them they would be issued with PINs as follows:
- A 64-year-old man, the skipper of the vessel, was issued with three $1000 PINs for failing to comply with the Public Health (COVID-19 Maritime Quarantine) Order at Eden, Port Stephens and Yamba;
- A 61-year-old man, the owner of the vessel, was issued with two $1000 PINs for failing to comply with the Public Health (COVID-19 Maritime Quarantine) Order at Eden and Yamba;
- A 51-year-old woman, a passenger of the vessel, was issued with one $1000 PIN for failing to comply with the Public Health (COVID-19 Maritime Quarantine) Order at Eden;
- A 20-year-old woman, a passenger of the vessel, was issued with one $1000 PIN for failing to comply with the Public Health (COVID-19 Maritime Quarantine) Order at Eden;
- An 18-year-old woman, a passenger of the vessel, was issued with one $1000 PIN for failing to comply with the Public Health (COVID-19 Maritime Quarantine) Order at Eden;
- A 40-year-old woman, a crew member of the vessel, was issued with one $1000 PIN for failing to comply with the Public Health (COVID-19 Maritime Quarantine) Order at Eden.
Anyone who has information regarding individuals or businesses in contravention of a COVID-19-related Public Health Order is urged to contact Crime Stoppers at https://nsw.crimestoppers.com.au.
