Mornington café owner stung $10K for not having a CovidSafe plan
A Mornington Peninsula café owner has revealed the shocking amount she was ordered to pay for not having a CovidSafe plan in place during the height of the Delta outbreak in Melbourne.
Rye Café’s Irene Prosser told 3AW Radio that she received a fine of $10,094 after a visit by compliance officers on 14 October, which happened to be the day Victoria recorded 2297 locally acquired cases.
Ms Prosser said a lack of communication between state government and small business was to blame.
At the time, her business was only operating for takeaway and staff were wearing face masks and complying with density restrictions and she was not aware that a CovidSafe plan was mandatory at the time.
“I didn’t think any more of it, then I opened my emails a week later and there was a fine,” Ms Prosser told 3AW.
According to the Victorian government website, every on-site operator must have a CovidSafe plan, with officers doing random checks.
On-the-spot infringements can be enforced up to $10,904 or up to $21,809 for “serious offences”.
Since receiving the fine, Ms Prosser has spoken to other small businesses with many saying they weren’t aware they needed a mandatory CovidSafe plan.
Irit Jackson, 25th November 2021
