Police order more than 50 people to return to Sydney

ACT Policing has ordered more than 50 people to return to their homes in Sydney after discovering many guests in a Braddon hotel were in breach of ACT public health directions on Saturday night (25 June 2021).

About 9pm, police attended the hotel after receiving a report that a family were staying at the hotel in contravention of directions.

Police spoke with the group of four adults and two children. Upon confirming that the family had been in Greater Sydney since 21 June 2021, and had no exemption to be in the ACT, police ordered them to leave the ACT and escorted them to the ACT border.

A short time later, hotel staff informed police that 50 other guests who usually resided in the Greater Sydney area were staying at the hotel. All of those guests were informed by police that they would be required to leave the ACT on Sunday morning, 27 June 2021. 

Non-ACT residents who have recently been to Greater Sydney, the Blue Mountains, Central Coast and Wollongong require an exemption in place to legally enter the ACT and can face penalties of up to $8,000 if they are caught in the ACT without one.

For the most recent information on the ACT’s COVID-19 restrictions, visit the ACT COVID-19 site.

For general enquiries – including to make reports of non-compliance, contact the COVID-19 Helpline on 6207 7244 (8am-8pm, 7 days a week). For police assistance call 131 444 and only contact Triple Zero (000) for emergencies.

Media enquiries

Police Media — (02) 5126 9070, act-police-media@afp.gov.au