A Current Affair crew are fined and ordered into isolation by police after failing to wear masks during a news investigation into a pastor whose congregation was also fined for not wearing face masks
A news crew from A Current Affair has been fined $500 each and forced into isolation by police after breaching public health orders for failing to wear masks.
The incident occurred while ACA crime editor Simon Bouda was conducting an investigation and trying to interview pastor Marvin Osaghae of Christ Embassy Sydney, according to a report by the ABC’s Media Watch on Monday.
Osaghae’s church was heavily fined after his congregation gathered illegally and failed to wear face masks last month.
Trouble with the law: A news crew from A Current Affair has been fined $500 each and forced into isolation by police after breaching public health orders for failing to wear masks. Pictured, ACA crime editor Simon Bouda
A NSW Police spokesperson later confirmed that the Nine news crew involved in the incident was fined and subsequently placed into isolation.
‘On Tuesday 24 August, 2021, officers from Mt Druitt Police Area Command were told a television news crew had breached the Public Health Order,’ a police spokesperson said in a statement.
‘The three men, 48, 58 and 60, self-reported to police after immediately identifying that they had breached the Order by not wearing masks while attempting to interview a man outside a house in Bidwill about 6am that day.
Breach penalty: The incident occurred while ACA crime editor Simon Bouda was conducting an investigation and trying to interview pastor Marvin Osaghae of Christ Embassy Sydney, according to a report by the ABC’s Media Watch on Monday
Turning themselves in: It was later revealed by Media Watch host Paul Barry (pictured in Sydney in June 2019) that the crew had actually ‘dobbed themselves in’ because the Nine Network ‘wanted to do the right thing’
‘The men each received a $500 Penalty Infringement Notice for failure to comply with a direction to wear a mask.’
It was later revealed by Media Watch host Paul Barry that the crew had actually ‘dobbed themselves in’ because the Nine Network ‘wanted to do the right thing’.
He added that the irony from the whole event was that the news crew were caught breaching a public health order while they were trying to investigate a breach in a public health order.
‘On Tuesday 24 August, 2021, officers from Mt Druitt Police Area Command were told a television news crew had breached the Public Health Order,’ a police spokesperson said in a statement. Pictured, Simon Bouda
‘Whoops. Yes, in filming a report about breaching public health orders Nine’s crew breached a public health order. Embarrassing,’ reported Media Watch.
Darren Wick, Nine’s Director of News and Current Affairs, told Daily Mail Australia: ‘We did have a crew who inadvertently conducted an interview while not wearing masks recently.
‘They did not intentionally set out to breach the health orders but upon realising they had breached them instantly wanted to do the right thing, which was to report it and cop the consequences. We are no different to the public.
‘They were not suspended, they were isolating at home and got tested on days 1, 5, 12 and 14 as per Nine’s COVID safe plan and health department protocols.
‘They are now back at work after completing the 14 days isolation.’
‘Whoops. Yes, in filming a report about breaching public health orders Nine’s crew breached a public health order. Embarrassing,’ reported Media Watch. Pictured, the Christ Embassy church in Sydney