COVID IS NO JOKE, TAKE THE BORDER SERIOUSLY

JUST do the right thing. It’s a simple concept, but some people seem to be having a hard time coming to grips with it in the age of COVID-19. And it’s now making life more difficult for everyone involved.

The past 48 hours have been a smorgasbord of reminders of why political leaders and police struggle to have faith in the public’s ability to make the right decisions when it comes to dealing with borders.

First out the gates was lobbyist Lyle Shelton who took to Twitter on Sunday night to brag about a “sneaky run” across the border into Tweed Heads and avoiding “the CCP virus police”, setting off a firestorm of social media outrage.

He did this despite having a valid border pass, earning him the wrath from police for diverting officers to investigate the issue rather than spend time doing investigative work.

Superintendent Mark Wheeler was particularly unimpressed.

Then, on Monday morning NSW police revealed they had fined a woman who was a close contact of a COVID-19 case whom they had found swimming at a Byron Bay resort pool instead of self-isolating.

It was discovered this was not an isolated incident – the woman had been fined for two separate breaches.

Let’s be clear, nobody wants the borders closed or for people to be separated from their families.

Those fed up with restrictions insist the public can be trusted but the past 48 hours have shown there is a long way to go before there can be faith that the right thing will be done.