Lawyers Weekly Australia report..
An open letter addressed to the NSW Premier endorsed by over 100 members of the legal, academic, and political profession has called on the state government to revoke what they’re dubbing “unlawful COVID-19 fines”.
In an open letter addressed to NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian, dated 15 September 2021, Joanna Shulman, chief executive officer at Redfern Legal Centre; Nadine Miles, acting chief executive officer at Aboriginal Legal Service (NSW/ACT); Tim Leach, executive director at Community Legal Centres NSW; and Jonathon Hunyor, chief executive officer at Public Interest Advocacy Centre urged the government to rethink its current approach to COVID-19-related fines.
Instead, the letter, which was endorsed by over 100 signatories (full list below) calls for greater investment in community education and engagement strategies, and enhanced social and economic measures to support communities already in crisis.
“The organisations and individuals that have signed this open letter are concerned about the impact of COVID-19 fines on vulnerable people and communities in NSW,” the open letter begins.
“We call on the government to reduce the use of policing and fines to ensure compliance with public health orders and invest more heavily in non-punitive approaches.
The letter continued: “Many communities in NSW are facing dire financial consequences as a result of the ongoing COVID-19 crisis. While fines are a common mechanism for enforcing the law, we are very concerned by the emphasis that has been placed on them as a means for securing compliance with public health orders
