SOUTH Australians who ignore any COVID-19 emergency management direction could face a potential term of imprisonment if a new laws pass through parliament.
The State Government yesterday drafted a new bill increasing the maximum penalty from a $20,000 fine to two years’ jail for people who fail to comply with emergency management directions.
It follows a number of incidents involving Victorians flouting border controls, including two men who hid their vehicle between two trucks to avoid a checkpoint near Wolseley on Monday.
The pair – who claimed they “did not see the checkpoint” were arrested in Mount Barker and faced court in Adelaide yesterday.
The South Australian Government remains on high alert after a further 374 new cases of COVID-19 were recorded in Victoria yesterday and a total of 3268 active cases in the country.
Nine Victorians have now been caught trying to sneak into the state and Premier Steven Marshall issued a stern warning to any other Victorians considering a similar course of action.
“You are not welcome at this time and there are going to be consequences if you do the wrong thing,” Mr Marshall said.
While harsher penalties will be introduced, AttorneyGeneral Vickie Chapman said it would not have applied to those who have already breached border restrictions.
“ What the police Commissioner has highlighted … is the stowaways and even the people who came in over the weekend were not cases that he would consider a prison term ought apply to,” Ms Chapman said.
“It’s ultimately up to the judges once that is in place for what penalty they employ.”
A potential term of imprisonment could be imposed on anyone who fails to comply with any of the emergency management directions in the South Australian jurisdiction.
However, Ms Chapman said Mr Stevens believed the harsher penalties would be reserved for those who show a “blatant disregard for the safety of others”.
“It’s up him as to whether he issues an on-the-spot fine or takes the people to court and they are matters for him and he has made his own views very clear,” she said.
TOP COP PRAISES COMMUNITY AND STAFF
Limestone Coast Police officer in charge Superintendent Phil Hoff expressed a sense of pride for staff who have been working long hours to keep the community safe.
Border checkpoints have now been in place in the region since March 25, with the response ramped up in recent weeks and hundreds of police deployed to the state’s borders.
“I am incredibly proud of my staff, everyone is pretty tired at the moment because we have all been doing some pretty long hours,” Supt Hoff said.
“One of the wonderful things is seeing all of these staff coming down to the South East, it has actually filled up my vacancies because I have people who want to transfer here.”
With no clear end in sight, Supt Hoff said their focus remained on protecting South Australians from the virus.
“Because it is uncharted waters, the path forward is not always clear and so we have to work through the mire to get to a place where we are keeping the whole of the country safe.”
“If you think about where we started some time ago with the spread of COVID-19, it was all about flattening the curve.
“We now need to make sure our resources in the state and across the rest of the country are able to deal with the spread of this infection if it was to take off again.”
He praised the community for their consideration, revealing some officers at the checkpoints had been supplied with cakes, biscuits and drinks from cross-border community members.
“It is one of the great joys of being the commander down here to see such a considerate community,” Supt Hoff said.
“The goodwill that people have expressed and their understanding of the role we are trying to play to keep them safe is very much-appreciated.”
