'Heavy-handed' cops slammed after new COVID-19 fines data emerges
Victorians have been hit with far more COVID-19 fines than any other state in the country, an economist's numbers show.
Data released by economist Saul Eslake on coronavirus breaches during the state's first lockdown showed a huge imbalance between Victoria and the rest of Australia.
COVID-19 fines in Victoria averaged out to $90 per 100,000 people.
Victorian police have been accused of "heavy-handed" behaviour when it comes to fining people for COVID-19 breaches. 9News
For all other states and territories it was about $20 – and just $16 for New South Wales.
"Victorian governments of both political persuasions have always been much keener to have the police with their hand in your pocket," Mr Eslake told 9News.
In total, Victorians paid $2.2 million more in COVID-19 fines than the rest of the country combined.
"Was it really true that Victorians were four-and-a-half times more likely to breach lockdown regulations than anyone else?" Mr Eslake said.
Data has shown Victoria's fines have been the heaviest in the country by far. 9News
In Victoria to the end of June, more than 5800 penalty notices were issued, compared to 1264 in NSW.
Premier Daniel Andrews said today Victoria Police had done a "very good job of making sure the rules were followed".
But community lawyer Lloyd Murphy, of Inner Melbourne Community Legal, claimed police had been "heavy handed", with young people disproportionately affected.
"We know that almost half of the fines have been issued to people under 24," he said.
"And now here's even more data to suggest people from migrant backgrounds and people from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander backgrounds are being targeted even further."
READ MORE: Extra school students to return to classrooms in Victoria
After Australian-born citizens, those from Sudan and South Sudan were the next most-fined, despite making up less than half a per cent of the population.
But those challenging the fines in court may have to wait a while.
The use of fines to confront a health pandemic has also been criticised. 9News
Because of the enormous backlog, it's estimated most cases won't be heard before 2022.
And critics are questioning the effectiveness of using fines to combat a public health emergency – with Mr Lloyd pointing out that the penalties didn't prevent Victoria's second wave.
Mr Eslake said lockdown breaches should be penalised.
"But other states managed to achieve higher levels of compliance without resorting to such extraordinary levels," he said.
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