Advertisement
Australia markets close in 22 minutes

  • ALL ORDS

    7,835.40
    -102.10 (-1.29%)
     

  • ASX 200

    7,574.60
    -108.40 (-1.41%)
     

  • AUD/USD

    0.6543
    +0.0020 (+0.31%)
     

  • OIL

    83.91
    +0.34 (+0.41%)
     

  • GOLD

    2,347.20
    +4.70 (+0.20%)
     

  • Bitcoin AUD

    98,375.76
    +49.95 (+0.05%)
     

  • CMC Crypto 200

    1,388.49
    +5.91 (+0.43%)
     

  • AUD/EUR

    0.6098
    +0.0024 (+0.40%)
     

  • AUD/NZD

    1.0966
    +0.0008 (+0.07%)
     

  • NZX 50

    11,805.09
    -141.34 (-1.18%)
     

  • NASDAQ

    17,430.50
    -96.30 (-0.55%)
     

  • FTSE

    8,078.86
    +38.48 (+0.48%)
     

  • Dow Jones

    38,085.80
    -375.12 (-0.98%)
     

  • DAX

    17,917.28
    -171.42 (-0.95%)
     

  • Hang Seng

    17,702.88
    +418.34 (+2.42%)
     

  • NIKKEI 225

    38,001.07
    +372.59 (+0.99%)
     

$45 million: The NSW suburbs hit with the biggest COVID fines

Poppy Johnston
·2-min read
Policeman in uniform wearing a mask walking towards woman with pink bag.
People attracted fines for several reasons, including not wearing a mask. (Source: Reuters)

Two Sydney suburbs have been hit with over $1 million in COVID-related fines.

The data showed that people living in Mount Druitt were dished out 1,536 fines, worth a combined total of $1.36 million between July 2020 and October 2021.

In Liverpool, people were fined a total of $1.57 million during the same period.

Last year, it was revealed many COVID-related fines had not been paid. Some lawyers have argued that fines put vulnerable people under financial stress when it’s already tough to make ends meet.

ADVERTISEMENT

People attracted fines for a variety of reasons during this period, including not wearing a mask and leaving a residence without a reasonable excuse when lockdowns were in place.

Some of Sydney’s inner-city and eastern suburbs also racked up a lot of fines. People in Darlinghurst were fined $481,680 during the same period and Bondi just over $400,000.

Some regional areas also saw expensive COVID fines. People in Coffs Harbour, for example, were fined over $200,000 in total.

In total, NSW authorities have dished out just under $45 million in fines, according to the data first obtained by the ABC via a Freedom of Information request.

Restrictions lifting

Last week, NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet lifted many of the state’s lingering COVID restrictions.

The two-square-metre density limit was canned and QR code check-ins were abolished for everywhere except nightclubs, music festivals with more than 1,000 people, hospitals and aged care. Singing and dancing is also now permitted at all venues except for music festivals.

And, starting from tomorrow, masks will only be required on public transport, planes and in airports, aged care and correction facilities, as well as indoor music festivals with more than 1,000 people.

Victoria is also winding back many of its COVID restrictions. However, masks on public transport are still required and new, steeper penalties apply for people that repeatedly go mask-less. Repeat offenders will now be charged up to $3,600 if caught.

Follow Yahoo Finance on Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram and Twitter, and subscribe to the free Fully Briefed daily newsletter.