CANBERRA’S on-the-spot fine regime for people in groups larger than two, with the exception of households, will line up with NSW, says Health Minister Rachel Stephen-Smith.
“We are working towards establishing [an] on-the-spot-fine structure in-line with NSW and that’s really to create an enforcement mechanism, to limit the spread of COVID-19 in the ACT,” she says.
But, she says, because the NSW situation, which has community transmission, is different to the ACT, the first phase of enforcing these rules in Canberra will be about education and warnings.
“The second phase will be about introducing those on-the-spot fines,” she says.
Ms Stephen-Smith’s comments about on-the-spot-fines follow an announcement by the NSW government where people can now face six months in jail and fines of up to $11,000 for leaving their place of residence unless they have an acceptable excuse such as getting food, going to a medical appointment, exercise and travelling to work if it can’t be done from home.
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