Australia’s deputy PM fined for not wearing mask in public

Sydney, Australia, Jun 29 (EFE).- Australia’s deputy prime minister has been fined for not wearing a mask in public, in breach of Covid-19 regulations, the police reported on Tuesday.

Barnaby Joyce, leader of the National Party, will have to pay a AU$200 ($151) penalty for not wearing a mask at a gas station in Armidale, New South Wales, after a tip-off from a member of the public.

“A man in his fifties filled up his motor vehicle then went inside to pay for that,” NSW Police Deputy Commissioner Gary Worboys told reporters.

“Police were alerted to that – they took some action… That person was apologetic and cooperative with police and an infringement notice was issued,” Worboys said.

In NSW, the most populated state in Australia and where in capital Sydney a lockdown is in force until July 9, the use of a mask is mandatory.

Around half of the Australian population is under lockdown orders implemented locally throughout the country, due to the outbreak of Covid-19 linked to the Delta variant.

Since the start of the pandemic, Australia has recorded more than 30,500 cases, including 910 deaths, and has administered the first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine to more than 7.3 million people, while 1.2 million have been fully vaccinated. EFE

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