Why thousands of cars are passing through the ‘ring of steel’ unchecked

Thousands of vehicles are passing through coronavirus checkpoints on Melbourne’s outskirts unchecked on the first morning of eased COVID-19 restrictions in regional Victoria.

3AW Breakfast received several off air calls from listeners reporting the checkpoint at Little River was unmanned.

Sunrise reporter, Nathan Templeton, who was at the roadblock, confirmed that when the rain gets too heavy, police stop checking vehicles.

“As soon as the rain gets heavy the police go into the tent. Understandably, that’s occupational health and safety rules,” he told Ross and Russel.

“Effectively the rules that apply here are like a booze bus setting where if it is wet obviously it’s more dangerous and vehicles could potentially lose control.

“Thousands and thousands of cars and trucks are going through completely unchecked.”

It comes after fines for those caught leaving Melbourne without a permitted reason for doing so were yesterday increased to $4957, in a bid to stop a city exodus as regional Victorian COVID-19 restrictions eased.

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Little River checkpoint unattended at the moment due to rain. Police and ADF personnel in their tents. pic.twitter.com/sIEPShCV1z

— Nathan Templeton (@nathantemp7) September 16, 2020

Image: Asanka Ratnayake / Getty