Over-70s told to lock down

VICTORIANS who are outside with more than one other person can be slapped with $1652 on-the-spot fines from tomorrow.

The extraordinary social distancing measure, agreed by national cabinet last night, is the latest effort to reduce the spread of the coronavirus.

Police and authorised officers will be able to enforce the restrictions on outdoor gatherings from midnight tonight — although it will not apply to families and other people who live together.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison last night announced a raft of draconian new measures, and urged anyone over 70 to “self-isolate for their own protection to the maximum extent practical”.

The national cabinet also agreed on a moratorium to prevent all renters — including residential and commercial tenants — from being evicted if they are in financial stress due to the pandemic in the next six months.

Playgrounds, skate parks and outside gyms will now be closed and outdoor bootcamps are no longer allowed but oneon-one personal training sessions are still permitted.

Mr Morrison also urged people aged over 60 with a chronic illness and indigenous people over 50 to stay inside at much as possible, as he called on the community to help them with their shopping and other needs.

He said all Australians should stay at home unless they were seeking medical care, travelling for compassionate reasons, going to work and school when it was not possible to do so remotely, exercising outside and completing essential shopping.

Victoria is likely to move to close all non-essential retail outlets in the coming days, once the Federal Government finalises the third stage of its economic support package for 1 Sloven individuals make up

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Give, when down a little Slender sticks used by fairies from one point and another Take wrongful advantage of an incident of suspect behaviour 3 4 5 businesses. “When you are going out for shopping, you should be going for just stuff you need and do it and get home,” Mr Morrison said.

“It is not a time for browsing, it is not a time for catching up with friends or bumping into people and having a long conversation and maybe drawing a few other friends across to catch up on how is it all going … No, you can’t do that anymore.”

Victoria’s coronavirus death toll rose to four yesterday, pushing the national total to 16. More than 20 of Victoria’s 769 cases are believed to be acquired through community transmission.

Australia’s Chief Medical Officer Brendan Muphy last night said Australians needed to obey the “radical” new rules.

“We have to change the way we, as people, interact with each other,” he said.

“It is very simple. Anyone who doesn’t need to be out of their home should be in the home.”