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Canberra Today 13°/17° | Saturday, March 30, 2024 | Digital Edition | Crossword & Sudoku

ACT police firm on border controls with NSW

MOTORISTS entering the ACT are being screened at two checkpoints amid the strictest enforcement of border controls with New South Wales during the coronavirus pandemic.

Police have continued to monitor ACT public health directions that also includes maintaining its hotel and home quarantine regime.

Police were checking vehicles on Monday (January 4) entering the ACT on Sutton Road in Pialligo, near Queanbeyan, to ensure non-residents from declared Covid-affected areas in NSW have the requisite exemptions to legally enter the territory.

This follows a high visibility enforcement activity over the weekend on the Federal Highway, the main arterial road heading into the ACT from affected NSW areas.

Police turned away 147 vehicles from heading to Canberra while directing ACT residents from a further 217 vehicles into immediate quarantine following the near 4500 that turned up on the border over both Saturday and Sunday.

Non-ACT residents, who recently visited Greater Sydney, including the northern beaches,  Central Coast and Wollongong, require an exemption to legally enter the ACT.

Breaches carry penalties of up to $8,000 per offence.

Detective Superintendent Rohan Smith, from ACT police’s COVID-19 taskforce, was pleased with the number of Canberrans cooperating with self-isolation.

“We are seeing a significant amount of self-quarantining with the majority of Canberrans keen to do the right thing,” Det Supt Smith said.

“Police are there to stop the small minority whose disregard for public health directions puts everyone else at risk.

“We will continue to work with the ACT government to consider the most appropriate enforcement approach and if more temporary check points are required in the coming days.”

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Ian Meikle, editor

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