Big fines for those breaking quarantine
VICTORIA’S Shrine of Remembrance has closed its doors after a state of emergency was declared in Victoria to deal with the spread of coronavirus.
RSL Victoria announced the annual Melbourne Anzac Day march will be cancelled and the public will not be able to attend the dawn service.
“There will be a service, wreaths will be laid, the last post will still be played, a minute’s silence in memory of the fallen will be held — but the public will be asked to stay at home,” RSL state president Robert Webster said.
The National Gallery of Victoria and State Library are also temporarily closed, while the Comedy Festival and Food and Wine Festival are postponed.
The closures come after Premier Daniel Andrews declared a state of emergency to enforce the national 14-day isolation sanctions on all travellers coming into Australia, earlier announced by the prime minister.
Anyone returning from overseas will have to self-isolate or risk fines of up to $20,000.
Police officers can detain people, restrict movement and prevent entry to premises in order to protect the public.
“We don’t really want Victoria Police to have to be in a position where they’re knocking on people’s doors … arresting people,” Police Minister Lisa Neville said.
Victoria’s coronavirus tally is now 71 after 14 new cases were confirmed. Five people are recovering in hospital.
The new cases include those aged from teens to 60s.
“We’re assuming this is from Rita. It may not be. They’ve all said it could be anyone, anywhere, any time, such is the prevalence of this thing,” Wilkins said.
“I was having a chat to her and that’s probably my best guess as to what happened.”
Wilkins’ son, Christian, was tested because he spent the night of March 10 in his father’s Sydney home.
The 25-year-old Christian is competing in the reality TV show Dancing With the Stars, which hi h is i being broadcast without a studio audience because of the COVID-19 risk.
“He’s going to get tested in an hour and fingers crossed he’ll be OK, which I’m sure he is,” he added.
Two Nine hosts who interviewed Wilson in their Sydney studio on March 9, David Campbell and Belinda Russell, remained in isolation in their homes yesterday waiting on test results.