From tomorrow, NSW Police will have expanded powers to hand out massive fines to people who do this act, in a bid to protect workers. There’s a new way to get fined in NSW.
From tomorrow NSW Police will have the power to hand out $5000 on-the-spot fines to people who cough or spit on anyone at work. The fines will also be extended to people who cough or spit on people who are making their way to or from work.
The fine for spitting or coughing was already in place, but only applied to people who attacked health and frontline workers, including doctors, nurses, pharmacists, paramedics and police.
The expansion comes after NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard requested the powers be extended, after a number of “vile” and “pathetic” attacks against workers took place across the state.
“COVID-19 is every bit as dangerous as a weapon, so anybody who thinks it’s funny to spit or cough on somebody are without doubt pathetic grubs,” Mr Hazzard said.
“Unfortunately, there have now also been incidents in which retail staff and transport staff have also been subjected to this disgusting dangerous behaviour, and it will not be tolerated.”
Different attacks include staff at a supermarket in Mt Druitt in Sydney’s west, who reported a customer coughing in the face of checkout worker who had refused them a refund. At a supermarket in Bega, a group of boys walked the aisles coughing and spitting on staff.
Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees’ Association NSW secretary Bernie Smith said the fine signalled the community had no tolerance for the “vile attacks”.
Mr Smith said many of the instances in supermarkets were tantamount to assault.
Mr Hazzard said the fines would not disadvantage vulnerable members of the community, or those with mental health issues.
He said officers would use “sensible policing” and “there are safeguards in place if (people needed) to have their case reviewed”.
Source: News.Com.AU