Police are investigating alleged breaches of quarantine by two sisters, aged 19 and 22, at the Alice Springs Covid facility yesterday, climbing over the perimeter fence to a waiting vehicle.
They drove directly to their mother’s residence, who informed authorities of the breach.
One daughter returned to quarantine, accompanied by her mother. The second daughter was in the company of her boyfriend and was initially uncooperative when directed to return to the quarantine facility.
Both the mother and the boyfriend were directed by the Chief Health Officer into mandatory supervised quarantine.
The incident was controlled quickly, with both women, their mother and the boyfriend of one all in quarantine, police say.
During their absence from the facility, it is understood the women had not attended any other locations, nor had they come into contact with others.
Commander Sachin Sharma said: “It’s incredible that after all this time, with deaths and lockdowns, people are still not taking this pandemic seriously.”
Investigations are continuing, with infringements likely to be issued today.
The infringement penalty for failing to abide by the Chief Health Officer’s Directions issued under section 56 of thePublic and Environment Health Act 2011 is $5,056 for an individual and $25,280 for a business.
Meanwhile detectives from Strike Force Viper are calling for information about criminal damage at a sporting facility in The Gap.
An employee at the facility advised police on Sunday morning that 15 windows had been broken.
A review of CCTV footage revealed a group of seven children aged around 10 years entering the skate park adjacent to the facility around 5pm on Saturday and threw around 100 rocks of varying sizes at the windows.
Detective Acting Senior Sergeant Evan Kelly said, “The offenders are unknown to police and we are seeking information that may help identify them.
“It is very concerning that children so young are engaging in criminal activity, and it is important that authorities are able to make contact with their responsible adults and intervene early.”
I recently traveled to Darwin with my wife for the weekend. We flew and had purchased face masks as required. Before entering the airport we fitted our masks, yep they are a pain. I noted that in the airport that a lot of the staff behind desks didn’t have masks on.
I also noted a lot of passengers in the airport didn’t have masks either, despite many signs stating that people entering, must wear a mask.
On the plane, the Qantas staff had masks and over the PA system (that some rarely listen to), they announced the requirement to wear the mask except when eating or drinking.
Quite early in the flight, I leaned over to the next row and suggested to the bloke that he do the right thing and put his mask on, as it was resting under his nose.
He replied as only a dickhead would: “I’ve got it on” to which I replied, it must be covering your nose and your mouth. He didn’t adjust his mask immediately, but at some stage throughout the flight, he must have thought about it and put it on properly.
There were many people on the plane who did not wear their mask properly, but the crew didn’t say anything.
Some of us haven’t worked it out yet that it only takes one person to make this a lot worse.
Upon entry to Darwin airport many people (not workers) were not wearing masks. I saw police there but they didn’t not approach anyone.
At the function, there were over 400 people and nobody had a mask either.
On the return trip, there were at least 10 people lined up at security for our flight who didn’t have a mask.
So, take it seriously? Really! Surely there should be security guards at the airports checking people who enter.
Furthermore, why don’t young children have to wear masks?
This is what is going to bring it here, this type of mad behaviour, plus the knowing that the borders are open now and people are travelling around free as a bird! Aboriginal people don’t care, they just saying that they can’t get it and its a non-Aboriginal’s sickness, only those people can get sick.
Everyone needs to go and get JABBED so when it comes here we are protected and the ones that don’t get JABBED sadly will die or get very very sick!
@ Alleviate the Stress: Why a flu shot but a jab of Covid 19?
I will not get jabbed as I am not into narcotics.
The verb “jab” is originally a Scottish form of “job”, an onomatopoeic word used since the 16th century to describe the pecking of birds, and then for any poking or thrusting action.
Hence also the use of “jab” to mean a boxer’s straight punch with the non-dominant hand: “Jab him, if you can, with your left,” advises a 1901 manual of self-defence by the British boxing champion Robert James “Bob” Fitzsimmons. The additional sense of mockery or raillery (as in “verbal jabs”) is inspired by this martial context.
The medical sense of “jab”, meanwhile, has a rather less salubrious origin, as a 1914 dictionary of criminal slang introduces it: “Jab, current amongst morphine and cocaine fiends. A hypodermic injection.”
Even if we haven’t yet had our healthier kind of modern jab, we might feel as though the government has repeatedly punched us in the face.
Alleviate the stress: Are you aware that the comment you’ve made about First Nation’s People is racist? Please rethink what you’re posting online for all to see.
As a news outlet I don’t think you should approve and share comments like “alleviate the stress” as it contains racist comments. Please remove this offensive and unacceptable post or I will report it along with the Alice Springs News to the Australian Press Council.
We will not be removing the comment from “Alleviate the Stress” but afford Nick Fewster also the opportunity of communicating his views to a very large audience, our readership.
Erwin Chlanda, Editor.
@ Nick Frewster: Nick, I must be missing something here. Where is there even a hint of racist tone in comment by “Alleviate the Stress”?
Perhaps we should concentrate on Covid 19 for a bit, we all might be dead.
@ Surprised: Yes, really, blow me down with a fart!
One comment told me all bout how the jab was invented and the usage of it, go and tell someone who cares, Jabbed professional!
As for the racists tone, there’s nothing that suggest that I am being racist.
Lack of acknowledgement from people like you who put your head in the sand and think that Aboriginal people won’t end up very, very sick and fatally sick because of the lack of understanding and acknowledgement that Aboriginal people need to get the “JAB!” as a matter of urgency.
Look at the hospital and see how many Aboriginal people are in there because of other illnesses.
Comments on this article are as interesting as they are diverse. As an ex-Alician Melbournian, there is one thing that really worries me now about this whole Covid pandemic.
It’s been with us for a year and a half and the odds are that it will be one of those ongoing nearly irradicable viruses like influenza.
Rightly or wrongly, our Aussie community seems to be dividing into two camps of thought in the virus, growing further apart and increasingly adversarial and judgmental. Whether in the Alice or in Melbourne.
Fears and anxieties about masks, jabs and new strains are growing apace with the despair of all those losing their livelihoods through draconian lockdowns and abuse of individual rights, with elite privileged exemptions for cross border travel.
There are increasingly bitter recriminations from all sides and public trust in our institutions is being eroded. On the street, non-mask wearers are morally condemned and social distancing sheriffs whip out the fine book at every opportunity.
It seems obvious that Covid is dividing us all, like never before.
Perhaps it is time to put away our vocal partisan swords and quietly do what each of us individually believes is the right thing to do.
By all means criticise the government according to our individual beliefs, but be non-judgmental to those average punters we meet on the street who don’t agree with our point of view.
There is nothing to be gained and a hell of a lot of social goodwill to be lost if we ordinary punters are at each other’s throats.
@ Alleviate the Stress: Now I’m really confused. My comment was merely asking Nick Frewster where the racial slur was, so I’m unsure where the “Lack of acknowledgement from people like you who put your head in the sand …” comes from.
@ Surprised: Just a typo or mis-interpreted. Sorry, my comment wasn’t aimed at you, it was aimed at the Jabber and the Australian Press Council!
@ John Bell: John, I think the “key” to the success of anything is consistency.
When we act consistently, it gives us time to measure the outcomes and then modify our behaviours accordingly.
It is unfortunate that our leaders are not consistent and this is detrimental to our well being.
Indian (Delta) Covid variety just detected in visitor from Melbourne to NSW.
The NT has been flooded with Melbourne visitors.
Meanwhile social distancing is not required here and vaccine roll out is minimal.
We are sitting ducks.
In response to the earlier comment by @ Alleviate the Stress, what evidence have you got that states “Aboriginals don’t care and can’t get sick”.
Many Indigenous communities prior to the Covid outbreak had closed their communities to people visiting and to those who were transient in regional towns trying to re-enter communities.
Many were afraid for their elders and children and not to mention for their own safety as is with the rest of the Australian public.
The closure of communities did in fact show that along with the rest of Australia, that Aboriginal people were afraid of contracting COVID.
On that note however, what these sisters did was stupid and they should be punished along with individuals who think COVID is joke. Race should not be topic of choice for individuals when it comes to breaking quarantine rules and regulations as decreed by the Australian Government.
WOW. Didn’t this go off track!
@ Lisa: The vast majority of Aboriginal communities were locked down by the NT Government and not because they chose it.
@ Jon: So why did they closed Uluru Kata Tjuta Park? “Mutitjulu Community Aboriginal Corporation blockade entry to Uluru amid coronavirus fears.”
Check your facts before writing.
@ Evelyne Roullet: One exception doesn’t contradict my statement that the vast majority of Aboriginal communities were locked down by the NT Government and not because they chose it.
Many Aboriginal people complained they were tricked by the NT Govt by being offered free travel to their communities only to find they couldn’t come back to town.
They won’t fall for that again.