Why the sunbathers provoking outrage on Sydney’s beaches are NOT breaking the law: Health authorities confirm exactly what you can be busted for in lockdown
- NSW Health clarified what qualifies as ‘outdoor recreation’ in an Instagram post
- Recreation can include sitting for relaxation, or to eat, drink or read outdoors
- But you must be with household members and within 5km of your home
- You must also live outside of one of the 12 LGAs of concern in western Sydney
Sunbaking, having a picnic in a park, and drinking outside are all allowed under NSW’s stricter lockdown, NSW Health confirmed.
In a regular Instagram story it calls ‘Fact Check Friday’, the health authority responds to questions from the public on vaccines, hygiene, and what is permitted by the public health orders.
In response to a question about what is considered ‘recreation’, NSW Health confirmed it included ‘outdoor leisure activities such as sitting for relaxation, or to eat, drink or read outdoors’.
Mask wearing is now mandatory in Greater Sydney when outside your home, except when exercising, meaning that if you’re sunbaking or picknicking as part of recreation, you must be masked
These activities must only be done with members of your household or your nominated visitor as part of a ‘singles bubble’
However, recreation can only be done 5km from home or within the same local council, and is banned in the 12 western LGAs under a stricter lockdown.
Recreation must also only be solo, with members of your household, or the nominated visitor as part of the ‘singles bubble’.
Exercise can still involve one other person that you do not live with.
Police seen handing out fines, including to a group of young mothers who stopped to talk to each other in a Sydney beachside park, did so because the people who gathered were from different households.
Instances of bigger groups congregating in parks and on beaches in the eastern suburbs led in part to NSW Police cracking down on the rule.
NSW Health confirmed ‘recreation’ includes outdoor leisure activities such as sitting for relaxation, or to eat, drink or read outdoors
A recreational pursuit outside the home must also happen within 5km of a person’s home for those living outside of one of Sydney’s 12 LGAs of concern
However, outdoor recreation is much less fun than it used to be as face masks are since August 23 mandatory outdoor except during exercise.
People outdoors for recreation must also carry a proof of address to show they are within 5km of their home or within their local council, as permitted.
Under the new police powers, officers can also order anyone issued with an infringement notice to immediately return home.
NSW Police can issue on-the-spot fines to people of $1,000 or $3,000 for participating in an outdoor gathering that breaks the rules.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian’s announced the state reached six million Covid jabs on Tuesday, as 753 new cases were recorded.