PICTURED: Woman, 65, who was fined $1,000 after ignoring orders to self-isolate after returning from a holiday in Bali
- Joanne McEnally, 65, was told to quarantine for 14 days after returning from Bali
- She refused to follow the quarantine and left her Redhead home on Thursday
- Mrs McEnally and a massage parlour were the first to be fined under new rules
This is the woman who was fined $1,000 after failing to self-isolate after a holiday in Bali.
Joanne McEnally, 65, returned to Sydney from the Indonesian island on Saturday and was told she was subject to a public health order and was required to quarantine for 14 days.
But Mrs McEnally refused to follow the rules and left her home at the Lake Macquarie suburb of Redhead, NSW on Thursday.
This trip ended in her being one of the first people fined under the new rules.
Her husband, Tony McEnally, said his wife left quarantine to go and pick him up from an appointment and then the pair drove straight home.
Joanne McEnally (pictured), 65, returned to Sydney from Bali on Saturday and was told she was subject to a public health order and required to quarantine for 14 days
But Mrs McEnally refused to follow the quarantine rules and left her home at the Lake Macquarie suburb of Redhead, NSW on Thursday
When police received information Mrs McEnally contravened the public health order and visited her home, she was issued with a warning for breaching the order.
Officers received further information she had left her home on Thursday morning and was in breach of the order.
‘We stuffed up, it’s our fault we’ll wear it … my wife is on the verge of having a heart attack I think, she’s got chest pains,’ Mr McEnally told 10 News.
‘We unreservedly apologise for what we have done and will not step foot outside the gates of this house until the fourth of April.’
On Friday, NSW Police commissioner Mick Fuller announced Mrs McEnally and a massage parlour on Sussex St in Sydney’s CBD were among the first to be issued with fines for flouting the new social distancing rules.
‘This lady had a caution on Monday, a caution to self-isolate. Yesterday she was found walking around the streets,’ Mr Fuller said.
‘Yesterday police came across a massage parlour which resulted in a $5000 fine to the business owner and three employees received $1000 fines. Of course this brings me no joy.’
On early Friday, NSW Police commissioner Mick Fuller announced Mrs McEnally and a massage parlour on Sussex St in Sydney’s CBD had been fined (pictured: A police officer telling beach-goers to keep a safe distance from each other)
The number of people infected with the coronavirus has climbed to 3,573 and 14 people have died as on Saturday
Those who can be fined include people who fail to follow quarantine orders or those diagnosed with coronavirs who similarly don’t follow the rules.
Fines will also apply for breaches of the prohibition on outdoor gatherings of 500 people and indoor gatherings of 100 people.
It follows the passing of legislation in the NSW parliament on Tuesday to help tackle the spread.
Under the bill, police are able to arrest people reasonably suspected of breaching COVID-19 public health orders and return them home or to a place of detention.