BOATIES’ $4000 BORDER BREACH FINE

TWO men who entered Gold Coast waters from New South Wales to shelter from a storm have been fined $4000 each for breaching the border.

Steven John Ford and Donald James McKinnon left Coffs Harbour on the 15m Maggie May after the state borders closed in August, 2020.

They were headed to Cairns.

On August 14 they came into the Gold Coast Seaway after a strong wind warning was issued as they passed the area.

They had not gone ashore after the borders had been closed and did not come ashore on the Gold Coast until they were arrested by police.

The pair, and their wives who were also on the boat, were all forced into hotel quarantine.

Ford and McKinnon both pleaded guilty in the Southport Magistrates Court on Thursday for failing to comply with a public health direction.

Ford, who represented himself in court via telephone, said: “We didn’t intentionally try to breach or sneak into the coast or breach the directions given by the health department but were forced to by nature.”

The 66-year-old pensioner said the plan had been to continue to Cairns and then lodge paperwork there, but the strong winds had forced the boat to take shelter in the Gold Coast Seaway.

McKinnon, who also represented himself, said he was just a passenger on the boat who had gone on the trip to help Ford out.

“I had no intention of doing anything wrong,” he said.

“I’m 66 and all I was doing was helping a friend to bring the boat back. I honestly thought he had all the paperwork sorted.”

McKinnon said he thought it was “pretty unfair” that fines which were given to both of their wives had since been waived as they were both considered passengers.

Magistrate Mark Bamberry fined them $4000 each and ordered they each pay $875 in costs.