Fed-up NSW Police reveal the lockdown-breaking offence that could see you put behind bars for FIVE YEARS
Fed-up police on the Covid front line have sent out a stark warning to anyone flashing a fake face mask exemption, saying they face serious prison time.
New South Wales Deputy Commissioner of Metropolitan Field Operations, Malcolm Lanyon, said making a false declaration to an officer is an indictable offence which carries a five year jail term.
With Greater Sydney now in the midst of its sixth week of lockdown, a trend has emerged where rule breakers have manipulated the public health mandate.
Some are faking statutory declarations which excludes them from having to wear a face mask - even though they do not have a lawful reason not to do so.
Fed-up police on the Covid front line have sent out a stark warning to anyone flashing a fake face mask exemption (pictured, a masked woman in Yagoonal, Sydney, on Wednesday)
Police in Campsie, southwest Sydney, are seen speaking to people outside a grocery store on Wednesday amid warnings about face masks
'The mask wearing requirements have evolved over time to match the changing settings as the Government has responded to the escalating Covid-19 Delta variant case numbers,' Deputy Commissioner Lanyon said.
'Clearly the rules now state that people need to abide by the mask wearing requirements of the Public Health Orders unless they have an exemption.'
Anyone with an exemption must either carry a medical certificate issued by a doctor or a statutory declaration.
'If police ask to see the exemption people are required to present that documentation, and we will investigate all exemptions,' Deputy Commissioner Lanyon said.
'Make no mistake, police are investigators by trade.
'If we have any reasonable doubt that a document may be false, we can and will investigate these matters thoroughly to bring people before the courts,' he said.
The five year prison sentence falls under The Oaths Act of 1900 and is the maximum penalty for making a false declaration.
'Clearly the rules now state that people need to abide by the mask wearing requirements of the Public Health Orders unless they have an exemption,' the deputy commissioner said (pictured, police patrol Bankstown on Wednesday)
The five year prison sentence falls under The Oaths Act of 1900 and is the maximum penalty for making a false declaration (pictured, Bankstown on Wednesday)
NSW face mask rules during Covid lockdown
- You must wear a face mask at indoor non-residential premises in NSW
- You must wear a face mask when using public transport
- You must wear a face mask in a major recreation facility
- You must carry a face mask with you at all times if you are in the local government areas of Greater Sydney including the Blue Mountains, Central Coast, Wollongong and Shellharbour.
- You must wear a face mask if you go outside in a public area in the Blacktown, Campbelltown, Canterbury-Bankstown, Cumberland, Fairfield, Georges River, Liverpool or Parramatta local government areas.
- You must wear a face mask when travelling in a vehicle with a person you do not live with
- You must wear a face mask in Greater Sydney residential building common areas.
Source: NSW Police