“You will be doorknocked, you will be visited and if you are not at home, then you will be fined.”
More than 500 additional ADF personnel, more than 300 additional authorised officers from the health department and 250 additional police offers will be deployed to make sure people are abiding by the stage four lockdown restrictions in Melbourne across the coming days.
Premier Dan Andrews hosted a press conference this morning in which he announced more changes regarding the stage four lockdown in Melbourne and Mitchell Shire and how the new restrictions will be monitored and enforced.
All confirmed cases of COVID-19 will receive multiple random door knocks across their mandatory self-isolation period to ensure they are at home. Close contacts will also receive random visits to check that they are self-isolating.
In addition to the current $1,652 on-the-spot fine for those not doing the right thing and the $200 fine for anyone not wearing a mask in public, unless exempt due to medical reasons, Andrews has announced a new on-the-spot fine of $4,957 for those who breach isolation orders.
This is the largest individual fine on the books in Victoria and will apply to anyone found breaching self-isolation requirements for a second or subsequent time.
Anyone caught repeatedly disregarding the rules will be taken to court where they will face a fine of up to $20,000. Victoria Police will, under the new powers, be able to detain anyone who continues to breach self-isolation directives, as well as those who continue to go to work unlawfully.
“You will be doorknocked, you will be visited and if you are not at home, then you will be fined,” warned Premier Dan Andrews.
Police will also be monitoring the lockdown by setting up vehicle checkpoints around Melbourne.
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