Luxury yacht skipper who lied to Queensland health officials fined $4,500
The skipper of a luxury yacht repeatedly lied to health officials as he sailed from coronavirus-ravaged Victoria to Queensland with six wealthy passengers on board.
Greg Numa, 64, pleaded guilty in Southport Magistrates Court on Friday to making false and misleading statements after the Lady Pamela left Melbourne on 10 August.
He was fined $4,500, but no conviction was recorded.
During the two-week voyage, Numa repeatedly contacted Queensland Health and told officials neither he nor the other six people on board had left the vessel in a bid to enter the state
But CCTV footage collected by police after the yacht arrived on the Gold Coast on 24 August showed Numa and his passengers had disembarked the vessel on numerous occasions to go shopping in NSW.
Police prosecutor Senior Sergeant Damian Summerfield told the court the yacht stopped in Eden, Port Stephens and Yamba as it motored north.
Melbourne building magnate Mark
Simonds, his wife Cheryl, their youngest son and Hannah Fox, the daughter of Linfox executive chairman Peter Fox were reportedly on board.
Numa and Queensland Health exchanged 83 emails.
“The defendant was attempting and later obtained the chief health officer’s quarantine exemption upon arriving,” he said.
“It’s quite an extreme example of continually providing false information.”
Based on the false information, Queensland chief health officer Jeannette Young provided all aboard the superyacht with an exemption to enter the state.
This was later withdrawn and Numa, the crew and passengers were placed in quarantine where they later tested negative to Covid-19.
Outside court, Numa said he regretted “stepping over the line”.
“I’ve paid the price today,” he told reporters.
He said his decision to lie to health officials was his alone.
“The integrity of the Fox family and the Simonds family remains,” he said.
The maximum penalty for making false and misleading statements is $13,345 or 100 penalty units.