Australian car enthusiasts that flouted Queensland's recently instated Covid-19 lockdown laws found themselves answering to police after officers tracked down the illegal gathering.
Queensland police say that they are ‘disappointed and frustrated’ after no less than 58 infringement notices were handed out at the south Brisbane car meet that saw around 150 people gathering in one spot.
According to a local report, the event was held at the end of a dead-end street, and numerous attendees got their vehicles bogged in the surrounding grasslands after attempting to flee the police.
Police patiently waited for others at the cul de sac exit and systematically ticketed the rest of the attendees in an orderly queue as they attempted to leave the event.
Both drivers and passengers copped the A$1334 penalty for breaching the lockdown laws. These are similar to ours in the fact that only "essential" travel is allowed during the lockdown.
While every single one of the estimated 150 people in attendance weren't able to be fined, the 58 infringements that were handed out equated to a total of A$77,372, or just over $80,000 here.
In a statement, Deputy Commissioner Steve Gollschewski, said “it is inexcusable what happened at Rochedale [on Saturday] and such blatant disregard for the lives of Queenslanders will not be tolerated.”
Gollschewski went on to explain that the fines weren't handed out to target hooning behaviour, but instead to protect the lives of the public, and prevent the spread of the deadly virus.
“This is all about safety. About saving lives. About stopping the spread of COVID-19. We all, every single one of us, must do our bit. We are in this together," he said.