One rule for them? Senior minister ignores government pleas to stay away from regional areas to stop COVID-19 spread as he's busted staying at his beachside holiday home
- NSW Arts Minister Don Harwin has fled Sydney amid coronavirus lockdowns
- He confirmed he has been living at holiday house on Central Coast since March
- State and federal governments have firmly discouraged travel to regional areas
A senior minister has been caught ignoring his own government's advice to limit the spread of coronavirus by travelling to his holiday house.
Don Harwin, the NSW Arts Minister, left his apartment in Sydney's eastern suburbs in March and relocated to his $1.3 million investment property at Pearl Beach on the Central Coast.
He has been staying at the property for about three weeks, according to The Daily Telegraph, and claims to have only left once to travel to Sydney for a medical appointment.
It comes despite the NSW government saying all non-essential travel to regional NSW towns must be cancelled to slow the spread of COVID-19.
Don Harwin (pictured), the NSW Arts Minister, fled his Sydney apartment in March and relocated to his $1.3 million investment property at Pearl Beach on the NSW Central Coast
NSW Deputy Premier John Barilaro has led government calls for people to avoid travel to regional areas.
'The rules apply to everyone, politicians aren't exempt. We need to set the standard and I'm bloody disappointed,' Mr Barilaro said on Tuesday.
'Everyone could go to their holiday home. We are asking people not to. This sets a bad example.'
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Mr Harwin said he was at the holiday house for health reasons and added that his work-from-home arrangements on the Central Coast were better than in his small apartment in Sydney.
'I live in a very built-up area in Sydney with high density and here I have windows that can open so I can have the fresh air and I can walk in fresh air and I have more room in my house here than I would have in my small apartment in inner Sydney,' he said.
The rules contained in the coronavirus Public Health Orders do not prevent travelling between two places of residence.
However, this is reportedly to allow separated couples to transport children between homes.
Authorities have urged people to stay in their primary residences because hospital resources are allocated based on population.
Pearl Beach (pictured) is a popular tourist spot on the New South Wales Central Coast
Officials across the world have been caught flouting self isolation rules including Scotland's chief medical officer Catherine Calderwood who resigned after being busted travelling to a second home in a rural area of Scotland's east coast.
New Zealand Health Minister David Clark offered his resignation to the Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern after he was caught breaking the rules of the country's lockdown by mountain-biking near his Dunedin home.
Comment has been sought from Mr Harwin and the NSW premier who was reportedly told of the arrangements a few days ago.
