MELBOURNE residents looking to escape tough COVID-19 restrictions and travel to regional Victoria will face a “ring of steel” around the city, the government has warned.
Pubs, cafes and restaurants were able to serve people outside with strict density quotas, while outdoor gathering limits were upped to 10 in regional Victoria from yesterday.
Regional Victorians can also leave their homes without restriction and all shops can reopen under the third of a four-step easing of restrictions before the COVID-normal phase.
Melbourne residents remain on the first step, including a curfew and tight restrictions around travel and shopping, as the premier vowed to “beef up” patrols and checkpoints out of metropolitan Melbourne.
Victoria Police Deputy Commissioner, Regional Operations Rick Nugent said on Wednesday there was risk that easing of restrictions combined with school holidays would result in more people travelling to regional and rural areas from metropolitan Melbourne.
As a result, he said, tighter controls would be implemented by police, while a new offence of failing to comply with requirements to remain in a restricted area would attract a $4957 fine.
“We will be highly visible and active to prevent people from entering the regional and rural areas, particularly during the school holidays,” Mr Nugent said.
“We do not want regional and rural communities to be put at risk by Melbourne metropolitan people.
“Victoria Police will be strengthening its enforcement activities, particularly at the borders, but also in the regional and rural areas.”
Mr Nugent said a practice of feeding vehicles through checkpoints would also be strengthened, which would add to traffic delays.
He said there will be more pop-up and random checks on back roads and an increased police presence at bus and rail depots, including at regional and rural locations.
Mr Nugent said more vehicles will be stopped at border checkpoints including all vehicles towing campervans, boats, jetskis, fishing gear or swags.
“There will be delays at these checkpoints and for that I am sorry but we have to do all we can to ensure people from metropolitan Melbourne don’t travel to these areas,” he said.
Caravan parks and camping grounds, state and national parks, pubs and clubs and restaurants and bars would also come under a police focus.
“I have asked that local police in all the regional and rural towns, to protect their local community...be very active in ensuring that they are the protectors of their community,” Mr Nugent said.
“Their community don’t want people from metropolitan Melbourne travelling...and putting people at risk.”
Swan Hill highway patrol unit Sergeant Les McPhee said highway patrol had automatic number plate recognition that alerted officers when a vehicle from Melbourne was in the region.
“When a driver from a COVID hotspot in Melbourne is detected, we know where they are from and we can check those vehicle, their occupants and their permits for being in the area,” Sgt McPhee said.
