Police dished out over $305,000 in fines to people who were at ~that~ now-notorious engagement party in the Melbourne suburb of Caulfield North, right near St Kilda.
The investigation has now been closed after a massive 56 people were slapped with lockdown fines of $5,452 each. The remaining guests were children and therefore weren’t fined.
“Victoria Police is satisfied all guests have been accounted for and the investigation has now concluded,” Acting Senior Sergeant Julie-Anne Newman said in a statement on Tuesday.
In case it wasn’t already clear, having a 69-person engagement party at home was a flagrant breach of Victoria’s stay-at-home order. Judging from the way the groom joked about it, people apparently knew they were in the wrong.
“Clearly this is legal, this is a group-therapy session, that’s why my father is here,” the groom can be heard saying in footage from the event.
A bunch of the guests, including some who were later identified as actual doctors themselves, made more jokes in return, which felt like a huge slap in the face to Melburnians doing their bit by staying the fuck home.
The whole thing was an irresponsible mess and at least 10 people who were at the party have since tested positive for COVID-19.
People were pissed, and rightfully so.
Unfortunately, some of that legitimate fury was used as a shield for anti-Semitic attacks threats against the family (who are Jewish) and they’ve since had to keep a very low profile.
Imagine telling your grandkids this is how you got engaged.
All adult Aussies (yep, even if those of us under 40) are currently able to get the safe and effective AstraZeneca vaccine through a GP. Click here to see which clinics are offering it, and talk to a doctor to see if it’s right for you.
Alternatively, you can triple-check to see if you’re eligible for the Pfizer vaccine here.
The best vaccine is the first one you can get, and that’ll be our ticket out of this mess.
