Partygoers in South Australia have been slapped with an $11,000 fine after flouting COVID-19 social distancing rules.
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The Port Augusta group, aged between 34 and 57, were warned four times by police to break up the gathering before being fined
Officers visited a Port Augusta address four times and on each occasion found a group of 13 people in the back yard or inside the house.
On the first three visits, police provided advice in relation to social distancing and prohibited gatherings.
Just after 11.20am on Wednesday, when police attended the address for the fourth time, they found 13 people inside the lounge room of the house.
Police issued a $1060 fine to 11 of the people for participating in a prohibited gathering.
The people fined included:
- a 54-year-old man
- a 41-year-old woman
- a 53-year-old man
- a 49-year-old man
- a 35-year-old woman
- a 34-year-old man
- a 37-year-old woman
- a 32-year-old man
- a 57-year-old woman
- a 47-year-old woman - all from Port Augusta
- and a 53-year-old man from Whyalla Stuart
Two other people are being followed up by police.
Police are now able to issue an on-the-spot fine to those who fail to comply with directions made for the declared Major Emergency, under the Emergency Management Act 2004.
Authorised officers are able to issue expiation notices of $1,000 for non-compliance by a person and $5,000 for non-compliance by a body corporate
