Parents who claimed they had to drive 185km into Melbourne to find their baby's 'favourite vegetable' are fined $1652 for breaking COVID-19 laws
- Victorian couple were fined for driving 180km to get their baby vegetables
- The couple told police they travelled two hours to get the specific vegetables
- Victoria's State of Emergency and State of Disaster will be extended on Monday
- Both will be in place until at least October 11 after an extension was granted
- Restrictions will begin being slowly eased in Melbourne and regional Victoria
A Victorian couple have been fined $1,652 for driving 185km to shop for their baby's favourite vegetables.
The couple had left their home in Sale, in the Gippsland region, and made the two hour journey to Dandenong in Melbourne's south-east on Saturday.
When the couple were pulled over they told police they left home to buy 'specific vegetables their baby liked'.
A Victorian couple have been fined $1,652 for driving 185km to shop for their baby's favourite vegetables (Police check permits at a checkpoints near Geelong)
The couple had left their home in Sale, in the Gippsland region, and made the two hour journey to Dandenong in Melbourne's south-east on Saturday
The couple had breached the 5km radius rule in Metropolitan Melbourne which has been established as part of the Stage Four restrictions.
The couple were slapped with a $1,652 fine - one of 200 that were handed out on Saturday.
The fines included 48 for curfew breaches, 16 for failing to wear a face mask and nine at vehicle checkpoints.
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Premier Daniel Andrews announced on Sunday that Victoria's State of Emergency and State of Disaster were both extended for a further four weeks.
The embattled state recorded a further 41 COVID-19 cases and seven new fatalities, taking the death toll to 723 for the length of the pandemic.
In spite of the clear trend downwards, Mr Andrews has refused to let up on the draconian measures, which include a nightly curfew and strict gathering restrictions.
Minister for Health Jenny Mikakos said the extension of the State of Emergency, which will now last until at least October 11, was crucial for the implementation of necessary COVID-safe guidelines.
From Monday, the city of Melbourne will move from the strict Stage Four lockdown into the first step of the roadmap toward reopening.
Mr Andrews (pictured at a press conference on September 11) has extended the State of Emergency and State of Disaster for a month
While modest, the changes will allow for more time outdoors and social interactions.
Mr Andrews said if numbers were kept low the state could open with 'real confidence' and keep them low.
'You can open up and stay open,' he said.
'That is what we want and that is what we will deliver.
'That is what we will deliver in regional Victoria and right across metropolitan Melbourne, not bouncing in and out of lockdowns, but making sure that everything that Victorians have given counts for something and delivers us, as I said, a summer that will be like no other.'
People living alone or single parents will be able to invite one other person into their homes.
Mr Andrews said he would allow 'social bubbles' even when exercising outdoors, which will now be extended to up to two hours per day - which can be split over two sessions.
People wearing face masks exercise in Williamstown in Melbourne. Melburnians wil be able to exercise for two hours each day under new, eased restrictions
Police stop and question drivers at a checkpoint in Albury on the NSW-Queensland border
Playgrounds and outdoor fitness equipment will reopen, and Melbourne's 8pm lockdown has been pushed back to 9pm.
Regional Victoria will also enjoy the loosening of several restrictions after successfully stemming the spread of the virus.
Up to five people from two separate households will be able to gather in public places, while outdoor pools and playgrounds will also open.
Religious services will be able to go ahead with up to five people.
'What we've seen in regional Victoria should give hope to all Victorians. If we all play our part, we can drive numbers down and get through this together,' Mr Andrews said.
'I'm so proud of Victorians for the way we are all working together to beat this virus – it means we can take our first safe and steady steps towards a COVID Normal tonight.'
Victorians living in regional communities have also been given hope that these restrictions could be further lifted in a matter of days.
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