The regional lockdown imposed yesterday is coinciding with much higher fines, a reduction in the distance people can travel for essential shopping, exercise and outdoor recreation; and the introduction of permits to enter regional NSW.

From midnight, NSW Police will launch Operation STAY AT HOME, in a significant boost to public health order enforcement efforts across the state.

“We’ve had to tighten the current public health orders because of the minority who exploited them. Enough is enough,” said the Minister for Police and Emergency Services David Elliott.

“If you do it, you will get fined.”

As of tomorrow, shopping, exercise and outdoor recreation is to be done within our LGA or within five kilometres of home (the 10km rule applies today). Proof of address must be carried at all times.

From midnight, the fines for Public Health Order breaches will increase substantially to:

•   $5,000 on the spot fine for breaching self-isolation rules

•   $5,000 on the spot fine for lying on a permit (already a criminal offence)

•   $5,000 on the spot fine for lying to a contact tracer (already a criminal offence)

•   $3,000 on the spot fine for breaching the two person outdoor exercise/recreation rule

•   $3,000 on the spot fine for breaching rules around entry into regional NSW for authorised work, inspecting real estate and travelling to your second home.

Many businesses will not be able to operate (see details here), and those that are allowed to will be closed if they continue to breach the health orders.

Businesses that do not require employees to work from home if they are reasonably able to do so face a fine of up to

•   $10,000 for corporations and

•   $2,000 for individuals.

There are new rules from tomorrow, 16 August, relating to places of residence outside Greater Sydney which tighten the reasonable excuses which have been exploited by some.

From then, real estate inspection from people out of area will be restricted to people genuinely needing a home to live in, rather than those looking for an investment property.

Travelling to a second home is now only allowed for those using the home for work accommodation or if the home requires urgent maintenance and repairs (if so, only one person may travel there).

A permit system for entering regional NSW for these and other purposes is being introduced from next Saturday, 21 August, to ensure compliance.

Deputy Commissioner Mick Willing, Regional NSW Field Operations, said preventing movement to regional areas from Sydney, and between regional areas, would be a key focus of the operation.

“There will be more roadblocks on main arterial roads and backroads from tomorrow, and these operations will continue to expand throughout this week in order to enforce the permit system announced by the NSW Government.

“There will be nowhere to hide if you are doing the wrong thing. If you travel anywhere beyond your LGA at the moment, you are putting everyone else in NSW at considerable risk.”

Full details are available from NSW Health. Please check here for the latest information.