Dog-walker claims he was fined $500 for not wearing a mask because his exercise wasn't 'strenuous enough' - but cops say there's more to the story
A Sydney man claims police handed him a $500 fine for not wearing a mask on his morning dog walk because his activity wasn't 'strenuous enough'.
His partner took to social media to vent over the confusing new rule and warned other residents of the crackdown on face coverings.
'Be aware my husband got a $500 fine this morning for exercising the dog walking briskly home on Darling Street after doing the Ballast Point stairs and was told it wasn't strenuous enough,' the man's partner wrote on Facebook.
She explained the officers had yelled 'Oi mask' out of their police car as they passed her husband on the stairs in Birchgrove, in the city's Inner West.
'He replied he was exercising and they turned the car around and fined him $500 and said it wasn't strenuous enough. Asked for ID. He came home so angry and he is a calm, laidback kind of guy,' the woman added.
A Balmain man has been fined $500 for not wearing a mask while walking his dog on Monday morning. Pictured above is a woman in Bondi on August 17, days before the state-wide mask mandate was introduced
The $500 fine comes after Deputy Police Commissioner Gary Worboys clarified at Sunday's Covid briefing that walking was good enough exercise for Sydneysiders to justify leaving their masks off
It comes just hours after Police Deputy Commissioner Gary Worboys clarified at Sunday's Covid briefing that walking was good enough exercise for Sydneysiders to justify leaving their masks off.
A second woman shared a similar warning that police were booking dog-walkers not wearing masks on Darling Street in Balmain.
'Do not leave house without wearing your mask. Police are booking people out walking their dogs,' she posted to Facebook on Monday morning.
The woman told Daily Mail Australia she watched a police officer fine a man for not wearing a mask around 8am on the main road.
She said the man was handed a mask by the officers at the end of the interaction, which suggested he hadn't been carrying one at the time of the incident.
But a spokeswoman from NSW Police told Daily Mail Australia that police will be enforcing the public health orders which state, when you leave home, you must carry a face mask with you at all times.
'You must wear a face mask in all indoor and outdoor areas of non-residential premises, including workplaces and public transport,' the spokeswoman said.
'The circumstances will be assessed on a case by case basis with the health orders stipulating, a mask can be removed if doing strenuous exercise.'
Another Balmain resident told Daily Mail Australia she had watched a man get fined by police for not wearing a mask on Darling Street on Monday morning
On Sunday, it was announced wearing masks outside would be made mandatory state-wide from 12.01 am on Monday, except when exercising (pictured, dog-walkers in Bondi)
On Sunday, it was announced wearing masks outside would be made mandatory state-wide from 12.01 am on Monday, except when exercising.
Even then, locals are still required to carry a mask on them at all times, and there was confusion over what counted as exercise.
Deputy Commissioner Worboys strongly advised that masks be put back on when social distancing could not be maintained, such as on a busy street or walking track.
Wearing a mask would be mandatory if they stop exercising to engage in another activity, such as picking up a coffee or other goods from a shop.
'In terms of exercising, people do not have to wear a mask but where you are exercising in a place where there are crowds of people or where you think you will end up in a situation where people will be close by,' he told reporters on Sunday.
'You have to carry it so if you feel that your safety, if you feel that people are too close, why not put that mask on?'
Even though masks are not required when exercising, locals are still required to carry a mask on them at all times, and there was confusion over what counted as exercise (pictured, runners with a dog in Centennial Park in Sydney)
Deputy Commissioner Worboys said NSW residents should wear a mask if they are not able to social distance, in large crowds or in situations where people are close by
Asked whether walking to a shop to get a coffee counted as exercise, Deputy Commissioner Worboys said people need to wear a mask if they stop moving.
'When I go to the shop, when I go to purchase a cup of coffee, when I get out of the car, I put my mask on, do my business and get back in the car,' he said.
NEW COVID RESTRICTIONS IN NSW FROM MONDAY
Wearing masks outside will be mandatory for everyone in NSW, unless they are exercising
Those who are exercising will still need to carry a mask with them at all times
People will need to put on a mask while exercising if they are in a busy area or cannot socially distance
A curfew will apply to residents in Sydney's 12 LGAs of concern
They will not be able to leave the house between 9pm to 5am unless they are an authorised worker
Outdoor exercise for residents in those LGAs has been limited to an hour a day
Sydneysiders travelling into or out of the 12 LGAs of concern for work will also need to carry a permit
'In terms of exercising to get a cup of coffee or to get something from the shop, there must be a point in time where you stop exercising and you actually move among people or towards the shop and I would suggest you put a mask on.
'It is just common sense that you would put that mask on. I don't really think it is that hard and I certainly don't think it is confusing.'
Those over 18 who do not wear or carry a face mask can be slapped with a $500 on-the-spot fine, with $80 and $40 penalties in place for younger age groups.
Anyone with an exemption must either carry a medical certificate issued by a doctor, or a statutory declaration.
Sydney residents were quick to share their thoughts on the new rule on Facebook, with many questioning what was considered exercise.
The public health order states that a person may remove a fitted face covering they are otherwise required to wear if they are 'engaging in strenuous physical exercise except in an indoor area as part of a gym class or dance class'.
NSW Health defines exercise as an activity that requires physical effort and is designed to maintain or improve health.
'Examples include running, walking, cycling, water sports or swimming,' the health departments website states.
'How do they define strenuous? This is different for age groups, stamina, underlying conditions etc,' one man wrote on the Facebook thread.
Others residents suggested that if walking was a strenuous activity for someone they would most likely have an exemption for not wearing a mask.
NSW Police Minister David Elliott clarified the mask mandate to 2GB's Ben Fordham and said residents are expected to wear a mask outdoors, except when exercising.
NSW Police Minister David Elliot clarified that masks don't need to be worn for 'strenuous exercise' in hotspot LGAs, however outside of these areas of concern casual exercise is an exemption to the mandate (pictured, dog walkers in Sydney)
Mr Elliott said masks don't need to be worn for 'strenuous exercise' in hotspot LGAs, however outside of these areas casual exercise is an exemption to the mandate.
'Any exercise, you're okay to walk without your mask,' the police minister said.