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As law enforcement agencies in Sydney continue to crack down on breaches of the city’s northern beaches lockdown regulations, a bride is among a group of 21 guests who have been fined for attending a wedding reception on Sunday.
The bride has been identified by 7 News as Diana Falasca, who comes from the northern beaches area under lockdown. She and the other 20 guests have each been given $1,000 penalty infringement notices by the NSW Police.
A police spokesperson said those guests were from northern beaches, where residents are not permitted to travel outside the region unless they have an essential reason such as shopping, medical care or exercise.
Her new husband, Mark Bonifacio, is among those who have not been fined, 7 News reported.
The reception took place at Doltone House in Pyrmont on Sunday. In its own response to the incident, Doltone House said in a statement on social media that all guests had signed in via a QR code.
“These people, and all guests for that matter that attended the wedding, were required to, and did in fact, register their attendance at the venue through the NSW Government QR Code App,” the venue said.
“Had Doltone House been advised that any person attending the wedding was doing so in breach of government restrictions, then it would have taken all necessary steps to protect the health and safety of its guests and the broader community.”
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian said she was shocked at the “brazen” breach of rules.
“That is exactly the type of behaviour that risks it for everybody and police have acted swiftly in fining people, but all of us were just shaking our heads, absolutely aghast that that occurred,” she stated.
Residents in the northern beaches area of Sydney remain under ‘stay-at-home’ orders.
Lockdown restrictions for residents north of the Narrabeen Bridge are set to continue until at least 9 January, while the peninsula’s southern zone will be locked down until at least 2 January.
However, a brief reprieve for small indoor gatherings on the Northern Beaches on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day has been permitted.