By Cam Lucadou-Wells
Victoria’s Chief Health Officer may revise Covid-19 restrictions that prevent people driving to parks for exercise.
Victoria Police has indicated that its officers had fined people for breaching the stage-4 rule outlined on the Department of Health and Human Services website.
“Travelling in a vehicle to exercise is not permitted – unless it is not reasonably practicable to exercise without driving somewhere, e.g. for mobility or safety reasons,” the website states.
Many have expressed surprise that they couldn’t drive – even within five kilometres of their home – to take their one hour of daily exercise.
Professor Brett Sutton said people should not be “too constrained” in order to get exercise.
He flagged making revisions if necessary, and meeting with Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Shane Patton to “clarify” the interpretation.
He said confusion may stem from “literally 150 pages of legal directions” that had to be issued by the DHHS for stage-4.
“There’ll always be elements that come after the fact. I’m happy to look at them in fine detail.”
Victoria Police Assistant Commissioner Rick Nugent said he was not aware of many drivers being fined on their way to exercise.
“I’m not sure that that’s necessarily been a particular problem.
“We essentially enforce the directions as they’re written by the Chief Health Officer.”
Asst Comm Nugent said he’d “happily have a conversation with the Chief Health Officer and (the police) Chief Commissioner” on the issue.
