West Aussies required to pay outstanding COVID fines with WA Justice Department stating total is $511,170.32

Hundreds of West Australians who breached emergency COVID rules will still be required to pay their fines, with the Cook Government ruling out wiping more than half a million dollars worth of penalties. It comes after New South Wales last month waived tens of thousands of outstanding fines handed out during the pandemic and reimbursed $5.5 million in paid fines. That decision followed the Commissioner of Fines Administration finding Public Health notices in the nation’s most populous State lacked sufficient details, with those infringed unclear what offence they had committed. The WA Justice Department confirmed that as of January 2, there was $511,170.32 in outstanding fines at the State’s Fines Enforcement Registry. These fines relate to charges under the Emergency Management Act, which was invoked in March 2020. The Act gives authorities additional powers such as to restrict movement, direct evacuations, order venues to close and people to quarantine. A State Government spokesperson said most people in WA had complied and the outstanding fines would be enforced and pursued. “The vast majority of Western Australians did the right thing during the pandemic to keep our community safe,” they said. “Our strong but commonsense approach to COVID management meant fines were only used a last resort, where the rules were blatantly disregarded. “The community expects that people who flout the law face the consequences. Anyone who receives a fine in WA is required to pay that fine.” About 18 months after COVID restrictions were implemented, 706 charges were laid against 384 people, Nine papers reported. Among those who were prosecuted for breaching COVID rules was Perth woman Asher Van Der Sanden, 28, who hid in a truck to sneak into WA without quarantining. Sanden, who had been in locked-down Victoria, was jailed for six months. This was later reduced to a community service order. Tracey Leanne Lawrence, 54, and John Paul Edwards, 49, were fined $1500 after spending 15 days in custody for spending four hours at a pub when they were meant to be isolating. The couple had come from Victoria and were allowed to spend a night in Norseman before travelling to their home in Rockingham. But instead of staying indoors, they went to the Norseman Hotel without masks, where they drank alcohol, ate pizza and spoke with other publicans. An independent review into the McGowan Government’s COVID management — headed by former Liberal health minister John Day — found the WA community had responded well to pandemic measures. “Overall, engagement by WA Police Force with the community was one of the strengths of the WA Government’s COVID-19 management,’” the 2023 review said. “The majority of stakeholders responded positively to WA Police Force’s ‘compliance with compassion’ approach, displayed through actions such as handing out masks to people who were not wearing them while mask mandates were in place, as opposed to handing them a fine.” In Queensland, the Liberal-National Government has come under pressure to forgive outstanding fines. Katter’s Australian Party deputy leader Nick Dametto claimed there had been “intense confusion” in the community due to the way then-Labor Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk communicated COVID rules. LNP Treasurer David Janetzki has refused to weigh in.