'We will deport them': Hundreds of British backpackers could be stripped of their visas and thrown out of Australia for reckless super-spreader party on a Sydney beach
Hundreds of British backpackers could be stripped of their visas and deported from Australia after throwing a 'super-spreader' Christmas party on a Sydney beach with Santa hats and wearing 'English football jerseys'.
Shocking footage shows around three hundred suspected backpackers, many believed to be British, donning Santa hats while singing and dancing on Bronte Beach, near to the famous Bondi Beach, on Christmas Day.
Australian Immigration Minister Alex Hawke said today he would be 'very happy' to deport those caught disobeying public health orders.
'You could hear lots of clearly English accents, and several people were wearing the white English football jerseys,' Peter Hannam, from Sydney, told the BBC while he passed the crowds of a walk with his family.
A large crowd gathered for the Bronte party on Christmas Day. The next day, some 40 revellers gathered at a North Bondi house party on Boxing Day
The crowds at the reportedly impromptu party were dispersed by police and witness Lucy Meyer said she could hear the chanting 'from a 10-minute walk away', according to news.com.au.
Stuart Crabb, from Bronte, Sydney, shared footage of the revellers to Instagram, captioned: 'Not sure these peeps got the COVID Memo.'
The clip saw hundreds of revellers jumping together, cheering and drinking out of red cups with many waving their arms while perched on shoulders in scenes that were reminiscent of a festival.
Mike Palfrey, who lives near Birmingham, posted a picture of his daughter Ellie at a Bronte Beach gathering with six of her friends who he claimed are in a 'bubble'.
He shared a picture of the snow at his home in the Midlands alongside a picture of his daughter and her friends in red swimwear and Santa hats, captioned: 'So this morning I’m taking a picture of snow and I get a picture from my daughter living it up on Bronte Beach, Sydney.'
Some 300 suspected backpackers flouted COVID-19 restrictions to have a party on Bronte Beach in Sydney's eastern suburbs on Christmas Day
He added: 'Ellie’s travelling the globe she left in September 19 unfortunately COVID has hampered her travel plans it’s not all bad though is it.'
The flouting of Covid-19 restrictions caused people on Twitter to express their anger with one branding it 'selfish'.
Australian TV weather presenter Josh Holt tweeted: 'I just don't get it...Bronte Beach in Sydney today. How can some people be this selfish when so many others. are doing the right thing and sacrificing so much. Makes me sad.'
Drone footage captured groups of people in festive attire before officers approached those who were flouting Covid-19 rules.
Drone footage from the Christmas Day gathering sees groups of people sat together and wearing festive attire including Santa hats
A group of people are seen chatting together as they are approached by officers following the flouting of Covid-19 rules
Revellers sat in groups wearing Santa hats and chatting at the Christmas Day gathering on Bronte Beach which breached Covid-19 regulations
Officers are seen talking to people at the Christmas Day event on Bronte Beach that saw hundreds partying together
Another wrote: 'I've lost all faith in humanity (not that I had much) after the Bronte Beach thing on Christmas Day.'
Journalist Eliza Barr wrote: 'My grandparents in their late 80s couldn’t see half of their grandchildren yesterday and there’s people on the northern beaches separated from their families and confined to their homes indefinitely but I’m glad the main characters at the Bronte beach party had fun.'
A fourth tweeted: 'I would really just like to see our family and friends interstate some time soon, then I see the scene from Bronte Beach yesterday and I realise that it’s doubtful the other states will open to us any time soon.'
The flouting of the Covid-19 restrictions caused people on Twitter to express their anger with one branding it 'selfish'
New South Wales police told the BBC how there were no fines issued at the gathering however a man was fined later that day when he was at a different event.
NSW Police described how officers from the Eastern Suburbs Police Area Command were helped by the Public Order and Riot Squad in issuing the crowd with move-on orders.
NSW Police spokesman Scott Willis told the publication: 'It's not always possible to take action against everyone there.'
New South Wales state health minister Brad Hazzard told how the likely 'super-spreader event' undermined efforts to keep the virus under control.
He told The Sydney Morning Herald: 'It is absolutely appalling to see what was clearly a group of people, a large gathering of people who didn't give a damn about the rest of Sydney.'
'If they were in Europe right now, most of them would be in lockdown and not even allowed outside the front door,' he added.
Hundreds packed into the gathering wearing Santa hats while music blasted and people danced and cheered on Christmas Day
Revellers waved their arms and sang at the gathering which was reminiscent of a festival and saw people cheering and perched on shoulder
New South Wales state health minister Brad Hazzard told how the likely 'super-spreader event' undermined efforts to keep the virus under control
The event comes as Sydney is battling a new outbreak of the virus with restrictions in the city including a lockdown of The Northern Beaches
It comes as Sydney is battling a new outbreak of the virus with restrictions in the city including a lockdown of The Northern Beaches as the outbreak totals 129 cases.
Mr Hawke said he 'was shocked at the scenes on Bronte Beach' on Christmas Day and said the government would not hesitate to deport those involved.
'Absolutely, under the migration act, if someone is threatening public safety or health, their visa can be cancelled and revoked,' Mr Hawke said on 2GB.
'We don't want to have public health and safety jeopardised by a small group of people who are not respecting the country that they've come to.
New South Wales police told the BBC how there were no fines issued at the gathering however a man was fined later that day when he was at a different event
Around 300 people packed into the gathering wearing festive attire and drinking out of red cups at the Christmas Day gathering
Hundreds of people packed onto the grass area near Bronte Beach with many donning Santa hats and bikinis
Mr Hawke said he 'was shocked at the scenes on Bronte Beach' on Christmas Day and said the government would not hesitate to deport those involved'
Party-goers sat on picnic blankets and wore Santa hats as music blasted and people danced at the event on Christmas Day
'They know the situation in their home countries is worse in many respects.
'There are many options available to the department: You can put them into immigration detention … however … we're very happy to deport people, if people are flagrantly disobeying public health orders.'
Mr Hawke said there are still chartered flights to deport people even as most outward international flights are banned during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Party-goers in festive antlers and Santa hats pile onto Bronte Beach and are seen in groups catting and drinking together
Newly appointed Immigration Minister Alex Hawke said he would be 'very happy' to deport those caught disobeying public health orders on Tuesday
At least 40 people attended a house party in North Bondi on Boxing Day, which resulted in 11 people being fined $1,000 (£562.76) each.
Mr Hawke said those fined could also be deported if they are identified as a backpacker or someone on a temporary visa.
'There has been a couple of incidents (Bronte and North Bondi),' he said.
'Sydneysiders would agree 10 months into a pandemic, we all know the drill now, we all understand how difficult this has been around the world, we understand why we have to be doing what we're doing.
'People who are guests in our country also have to be doing the right thing.'
Mr Hawke warned people on temporary visas to abide by COVID-19 restrictions on New Years Eve and New Years Day.
Liberal MP Jason Falinksi (pictured left) has called for those backpackers who attended a party at Bronte Beach on Christmas Day to be deported
'It's not okay to treat this New Years Day as normal. We know the public health orders are saying there are restrictions in place,' he said.
'Temporary visa holders must obey those restrictions and public health orders the same as anyone else.
'I've instructed the Department of Home Affairs to work closely with NSW authorities in the lead-up to New Year's Day as well to make sure everyone is doing the right thing and if anyone caught doing the wrong thing, that their visa status is brought before the government.'
Mr Hawke's warning comes after Liberal MP Jason Falinski, who is based at Narrabeen on Sydney's coronavirus-hit Northern Beaches, called for any backpacker who was at the Bronte party to be sent home.
'Their visas should be cancelled and they should be deported immediately,' he told the Northern Beaches Advocate on Saturday.
'The law-abiding citizens of this country should not be put at risk by the people who clearly do not care for the people of this country or what happens to them. They have worn out their welcome.
'I will be calling on my government to request the identity of these people from state authorities, using facial recognition technology to compare with their passports if necessary.'
The northern zone of the Northern Beaches will remain locked down until January 9 to stop the disease spreading - but residents will be allowed five visitors from the zone on New Year's Eve.
The southern zone will be released from lockdown on January 2 and will be allowed 10 visitors from within the zone on December 31.