If you ever needed evidence that fines simply won’t deter the obscenely rich from not socially distancing, here you go.
Some guy in Sydney apparently doesn’t give a shit about public health or fines, and told police “do what you want mate, I don’t care.”
At midnight on Saturday, police in Sydney’s Potts Point pulled over a 43-year-old driving a McLaren 650S. The man said he was on his way to get petrol, after which NSW Police issued him with a warning.
After this, the man allegedly claimed driving was a form of exercise, with exercise being one of the few legal reasons to leave the home under current lockdown restrictions in NSW.
Police then issued the man and his 60-year-old passenger a $1,000 fine each.
The man allegedly then said: “do what you want mate, I don’t care.”
“This $1,000 fine won’t hurt with my $15 million.”
As much as the guy might claim to be able to afford the fine, it’s still nice to imagine that it briefly wiped the shit-eating grin off his face.
Of course, the majority of on-the-spot fines dished out to people accused of breaching lockdown laws aren’t rich boomers driving McLarens.
An analysis of police data by The Saturday Paper found infringement notices were disproportionately issued in Sydney’s poorer Western Suburbs.
Meanwhile, the wealthier Eastern Suburbs and Northern Beaches, which are considered to be coronavirus hotspots, account for a much smaller portion of fines.
In fact, the McLaren driver was the only infringement notice issued in the Eastern Suburbs over the weekend. Meanwhile, the bulk were issued around Auburn or Mt Druitt.
Other states do not release similarly detailed data about fines related to breaching public health orders.
