COVID compliance visits by the NSW Department of Customer Service have resulted in fines for 10 hospitality businesses across the state for serious breaches of public health orders.
Inspectors from Liquor & Gaming NSW, SafeWork NSW and NSW Fair Trading visited 410 licensed venues and other hospitality premises, issuing $50,000 in penalty infringement notices for breaches of COVID safety.
These fines are additional to the four already issued by Liquor & Gaming NSW, meaning $70,000 worth of fines have now been issued across the state.
Most of the breaches related to not having a COVID-19 Safety Plan, non-compliant record keeping and a lack of appropriate physical distancing.
Executive Director of Compliance, Peter Dunphy, said it’s reckless that that any business would put the community at risk of COVID infection and jeopardise people’s jobs and livelihoods.
“It beggars belief that anyone would want to eat, drink and mingle, shoulder to shoulder with others during a pandemic,” Mr Dunphy said.
“On Friday the mandatory COVID safety measures were expanded from pubs to cover all hospitality venues and that message was communicated loud and clear.
“Pubs, clubs, bars, casinos, cafes and restaurants are high risk for COVID transmission. They are subject to public health order conditions specifically designed to keep them open and keep our communities safe.
“It is public knowledge that COVID clusters have spread rapidly at restaurants and jumped from suburb to suburb. The measures have not been taken in vain – they are vital protections for workers and customers.
“We all need to play it safer – businesses as well as customers.”
These venues will be fined $5,000 each:
- Mapo Galbi Korean BBQ – Gosford
- Natapit Samintkaew – Central Coast
- Thai Thyme – Erina
- Hero Sushi – Erina
- Heart 2 Heart – Cumberland
- Master Hot Pot – Cumberland
- Tamworth Service Club – Tamworth
- Greyhound Social Club Ltd – Yagoona
- Hurlstone Park Hotel – Hurlstone Park
- Kingswood Hotel – Kingswood
Liquor & Gaming, SafeWork and Fair Trading conduct uniformed and undercover inspections of licensed venues and can issue on the spot fines or temporarily close businesses where necessary.