Breaching covid-19 restrictions in New Zealand will now mean an increased infringement fee of up to $12,000 for individuals when imposed by a court, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has announced.

Speaking at the daily covid-19 briefing today, Ardern said fines for breaches of the Covid-19 Public Health Response Act were being increased because of the view that the infringement regime did not reflect the severity of breaches.

“Our success has been really based on the fact that people by and large have been really compliant … however, there has been the odd person [who] has broken the rules and put others at risk,” she said.

“Specifically we’ve had some people break out of MIQ, including in a handful of cases with covid, who have posed a threat to the community.”

She said there were some issues very early on, but they had reduced when the government introduced fines for those who breached the rules, such as alert levels or breaking the rules of MIQ.

“It’s Cabinet’s view that these fees don’t properly reflect the significant social and economic impacts of a single case of covid-19 getting out into the community, and nor do they act as a sufficient incentive to play by the rules,” Ardern said.

Like with a traffic ticket, people can be issued an infringement notice for breaking the rules. If the infringement fee is not paid in full by the due date it is referred to the Ministry of Justice for enforcement, when it becomes a “fine”.

On-the-spot fines
On-the-spot infringement notice fees were initially set at $300, with fines of up to $1000 when imposed by a court, but Ardern today said they would increase.

Infringement notices would increase to $4000 for individuals, and $12,000 for companies, while fines imposed by courts would increase to a maximum of $12,000 for individuals and $15,000 for companies.

Covid-19 infringement fines. Video: RNZ News

People convicted for criminal offences — such as intentionally failing to comply with an order, or intentionally threatening, assaulting, or hindering an enforcement officer — may also face fines and prison.

The fine for criminal offending would increase from $4000 to $12,000 or six months imprisonment, with an additional fee of up to $15,000 introduced for companies.

Ardern said those were maximums subject to the court’s discretion, and would take effect from November 2021, subject to the passing of the Covid-19 Public Health Response Amendment Bill.

These fines are for people who do something specified as an infringement offence in a covid-19 order.

She said there was a balance between making sure people understood the rules, but also the consequences of breaking those rules.

Setting up the framework
“I think the sheer magnitude of having someone with covid-19 who breaks those rules, the impact on the community, we need to make sure that the fines really do reflect the gravity of the situation.”

The prosecutions were not made by politicians, she said.

“The prosecution decisions aren’t ultimately made by us. We need to set up the framework and the infringements that are available should those prosecutions be taken. And I think actually from the general public there would probably be a bit of a view that when you are putting people at risk you need to have an infringement regime that reflects the seriousness of some of that rule-breaking.

“Where they’re used and how they’re used, what fines are awarded, that sits out of our hands.”

In a statement, Covid-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins said examples of infringement offences would include failure to wear a face covering in places where it is mandatory.

Criminal offences could include travelling without permission, or travelling for a purpose other than what was permitted, from an alert level 4 or 3 area to alert level 2.

14 new community cases
The Ministry of Health has reported 14 new community cases of covid-19 in the community today — a drop from the past three days.

In a statement, the ministry said there is also one historical case at the border.

Thirteen of today’s cases have been epidemiologically linked while one is still being investigated.

Today’s number of community cases includes one positive result from Upper Hauraki, which is under a section 70 order. They are a household contact who was tested yesterday, the ministry said.

“Two previously confirmed cases from Saturday and from yesterday have now been reclassified as under investigation,” Director-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield said.

“As a result, today’s net increase is 13 cases.”

Dr Bloomfield said the ministry expected another further 50 to 60 cases from household contacts in the next week or so.

This article is republished under a community partnership agreement with RNZ.

Article by AsiaPacificReport.nz

A man with covid-19 who allegedly escaped an Auckland MIQ facility today has been charged with breaking lockdown rules and has been bailed to return to a managed quarantine facility.

The man was arrested this afternoon at an Ōtāhuhu address by police in full PPE gear after leaving the Novotel Ibis-Ellerslie without permission earlier today.

RNZ News understands that after the man tested positive for covid-19, he was firstly required to isolate at his home, but he left the residence at some point yesterday.

It is understood police were alerted and once he returned to the house, he was taken by police to the quarantine hotel and formally processed, and at some point after that he allegedly escaped from the Ellerslie hotel.

RNZ News also understands a friend of his was involved in picking him up and returning him to the house where he was arrested this afternoon.

The man has been charged under the Health Order with failing to comply with an order (covid-19) and has appeared in the Auckland District Court via a video link this afternoon.

A judge has bailed him to return to a managed quarantine facility.

The Ministry of Health has reported that the number of new community cases of covid-19 connected to the delta outbreak has dropped to 49 today.

There were also four new cases in managed isolation.

All of the new community cases are in Auckland.

Family “extremely cooperative”
Police said the man’s family have been “extremely cooperative”.

Superintendent Steve Kehoe said police were notified just after 10.30am that the man had escaped from the facility in Ellerslie.

MIQ said the person had “allegedly absconded in the early hours of the morning”.

Police later cordoned off an Ōtāhuhu address while they prepared to arrest him, Superintendent Kehoe said in a statement.

Covid-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins said the alleged escaper had last been seen at the Ellerslie MIQ about 1am.

It was his understanding the person was located at their usual home address.

He said it was not known yet how the person escaped, how they got home, or how long they were there.

CCTV reviews
“We still don’t have all of the confirmed information,” he said.

He said CCTV reviews were happening.

“I do have information that suggests that there is some CCTV of someone hiding in a bush while a security guard walked past them.”

It was not clear if the area was single or double-fenced, he said.

“Most of the areas that people who are staying in that facility have access to are double fenced, so the exercise area has a 1.8m fence followed by a 2m fence.”

He said somebody deliberately putting others at risk was unacceptable.

“If there has been in any way a lapse in the system that has allowed them to do that then that is something that I’m concerned about and we will absolutely be looking at.

Extra risk concern
“A lot of work has gone into making these facilities as secure as possible. If someone has made it out – particularly from a quarantine facility, where we extra-staff quarantine facilities because we know there’s extra risk there – then of course I’m concerned about that,” he said.

The Novotel Ibis-Ellerslie Hotel was only recently converted from a managed isolation into a more heavily secured quarantine site, beginning operations at midday last Monday, August 27.

“Obviously they’ve been stood up at relatively short notice, but nonetheless it should not be the case that somebody is able to get out of that facility,” Hipkins said.

“Our expectation is that people should not be able to leave them until they’ve been cleared to leave them so I’ll be expecting MIQ to provide a very robust defence as to what’s happened here because it is not okay for people to be able to get out …. the security should be sufficient.”

Responding police were dressed in full PPE.

Police also liaised with the Ministry of Health to understand the man’s movements since he left MIQ and was found in Ōtāhuhu.

Officers are working on where the man will be taken and assured the community that every precaution was being taken.

A family member reported the man missing and the minister was informed 12 hours later.

Ardern, Hipkins knew before 1pm
Hipkins and Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern were briefed about the escape before the 1pm covid-19 media briefing today but she did not raise it throughout the duration of the media conference.

A spokesperson for her office said they were advised before the update of an “unfolding situation” being led by police.

They say because it was a “live” event the prime minister would not talk about it while it was still under way.

Hipkins told reporters he was advised before this afternoon’s question time the man had been arrested by the police, but made no reference to the situation in Parliament.

In a statement, National’s Covid-19 Response spokesperson Chris Bishop said there were three questions that needed to be answered.

“Why it took 10 hours for police to be informed of the escape … at what time management at the MIQ facility knew or suspected this person had escaped … why the prime minister did not see fit to inform the public of the escape at today’s press conference.

“Police have confirmed the person escaped at 12.34am, but they were only told at 10.30am the next morning,” he said.

“The last thing we need is delta spreading further into the community through poor oversight of security at MIQ.”

Joint Head of MIQ Brigadier Rose King said the individual entered the facility yesterday evening.

“The fact that someone has absconded from one of our facilities is a disappointing and unacceptable breach.

“We are investigating how this happened and will make more information available as we gather the facts.”

This article is republished under a community partnership agreement with RNZ.

Article by AsiaPacificReport.nz