The "I am in self-isolation" thread

[p--and--t]

Funny, but caution NSFW language

 

[dajop]

Well here's something for those decrying those irresponsible people for not following self isolation following return form overseas.

A colleague who normally lives overseas, has found a fine in the letter box $1600 for disobeying self isolation rules. On the slip of paper handed in on arrival into Australia they had nominated an address to serve self isolation that was different to that on their drivers license. The police seem to have gone to the address on the drivers license to look for them. There doesn't seem to have been any connection to the slip of paper (which you are asked to give isolation address + mobile phone number). We're now a little worried, as we are serving self isolation at different address to our license as well, although at least my partners mother is at home so can them straight should the police show up.

 

[33kft]

A colleague who normally lives overseas, has found a fine in the letter box $1600 for disobeying self isolation rules. On the slip of paper handed in on arrival into Australia they had nominated an address to serve self isolation that was different to that on their drivers license. The police seem to have gone to the address on the drivers license to look for them. There doesn't seem to have been any connection to the slip of paper (which you are asked to give isolation address + mobile phone number).

Which state was this in?

 

[TheRealTMA]

Well here's something for those decrying those irresponsible people for not following self isolation following return form overseas.

A colleague who normally lives overseas, has found a fine in the letter box $1600 for disobeying self isolation rules. On the slip of paper handed in on arrival into Australia they had nominated an address to serve self isolation that was different to that on their drivers license. The police seem to have gone to the address on the drivers license to look for them. There doesn't seem to have been any connection to the slip of paper (which you are asked to give isolation address + mobile phone number). We're now a little worried, as we are serving self isolation at different address to our license as well, although at least my partners mother is at home so can them straight should the police show up.

How did the police get the address for the post?

 

[Pushka]

Well here's something for those decrying those irresponsible people for not following self isolation following return form overseas.

A colleague who normally lives overseas, has found a fine in the letter box $1600 for disobeying self isolation rules. On the slip of paper handed in on arrival into Australia they had nominated an address to serve self isolation that was different to that on their drivers license. The police seem to have gone to the address on the drivers license to look for them. There doesn't seem to have been any connection to the slip of paper (which you are asked to give isolation address + mobile phone number). We're now a little worried, as we are serving self isolation at different address to our license as well, although at least my partners mother is at home so can them straight should the police show up.

I would argue that I could not stay at the address nominated on my drivers licence as I had family members I did not want to infect and which was the reason I nominated another address and which was where in fact I self isolated. My nephew did exactly that as he had a wife and two littlies at home who had not travelled overseas with him. He stayed in a campground cottage and did everything as he was required to do.

 

[dajop]

How did the police get the address for the post?

It was posted to the address on the drivers license, where they checked. Didn't find out until reached that address after the 14 day period had expired.\

It does imply a disconnect between the information provided to Border Force, and the information available to State Police. You need to provide phone number to Border Force as well, so you think a call could be made to verify whereabouts.

 

[33kft]

I would argue that I could not stay at the address nominated on my drivers licence as I had family members I did not want to infect and which was the reason I nominated another address and which was where in fact I self isolated. My nephew did exactly that as he had a wife and two littlies at home who had not travelled overseas with him. He stayed in a campground cottage and did everything as he was required to do.

Yes, there's never been a requirement to stay at the address on your license, nor has there been a requirement to have a license or even be a resident of this country in order to be under mandatory isolation. The system works just fine without invoking drivers licenses at any point (other than to track down an absconder) and pretty much has nothing at all to do with having driving privileges at all, so the whole thing is a bit strange.

 

[SydneySwan]

In effect the driving license is used as a de facto identity card in Australia - hence the reason for the ability to obtain photocards if you don't have one. DLs are issued at state level and police are state forces. Police are used to identifying people via their DLs. I would imagine that state police forces don't have easy access to federal passport databases. What is happening now has probably never been sufficiently planned for.

 

[33kft]

In effect the driving license is used as a de facto identity card in Australia

For those who:

• Have one
• Are residents of Australia
• Are resident in the state they chose to isolate in

Whilst that is a large percentage of my household I doubt it would cover 33% of those in isolation overall, especially when current isolation rules require you to isolate in the state you enter Australia in rather than your ultimate destination. I have no doubt drivers licenses appear for State Police when they are doing database checks on individuals under isolation who happen to have been residents of that state at some point in time, but so would property registration and other police database artifacts. The fact is that the police would still need to have searched specifically for mine or my wife's details and not my daughter's, for example, to get a drivers license with our address on it so it takes more than just cursory analysis of the list provided by Border Force - what if multiple adults with the same surname arriving on the same day had drivers licenses with different addresses? Overall, the situation still makes little sense to me.

 

[33kft]

Or what if I moved states but chose to isolate in the state that I had previously lived in? Why would that ID be considered more current or correct than the details that I gave whilst entering the country? I might have moved overseas but returned to look after family, or because I was concerned about the overseas healthcare coverage. I'm not just going to waltz back in to my old residence again, someone else lives there now, yet I still have a drivers license with that address on it in the system.

 

[SydneySwan]

Overall, the situation still makes little sense to me.

Maybe I wasn’t direct enough. State police forces have a state focus and have state assets to support them. Suddenly they are expected to behave like an extension of the federal immigration department. It would have made more sense to have made border force responsible for checking up on people supposed to be self-isolating.

 

[nutwood]

Tasmania is much more civilised. I received a phone call yesterday from a very well spoken private. He explained that they would shortly be in my area, checking to see if I was home. I gave him directions to our back gate, as the recent rain had made the official entry unpleasant. I drove down, when I saw them coming up the track. They sat in their vehicle, their side of the gate. I sat in mine and we had a chat. They didn't want to come in so I gave them advise as to the best spot to turn and offered to come down with a tractor if it didn't work out.

 

[33kft]

I am sure the state authorities who do this every day know full well the deficiencies of the information they have in their systems for enforcement of federal immigration controls. Just being frank, I doubt it happened in the way it is described, it makes no sense.

 

[SydneySwan]

33kft, I apologise if you were offended. It was not my intention. I was just trying to offer an explanation.

 

[33kft]

Not at all, @SydneySwan, I was just trying to do the same and we got into somewhat of a loop. I have edited my post to something more appropriate.

 

[Flashback]

0.5 day to go....... guess I should have a shower and change of clothes before I head out tomorrow

 

[PineappleSkip]

Feeling dudded now. No rozzers turned up at our place, despite myself and Mrs Pineapple having separately arrived from overseas.

I would argue that I could not stay at the address nominated on my drivers licence as I had family members I did not want to infect and which was the reason I nominated another address and which was where in fact I self isolated. My nephew did exactly that as he had a wife and two littlies at home who had not travelled overseas with him. He stayed in a campground cottage and did everything as he was required to do.

I would argue that I did what I said I would do, and I breached no law. End of story really. Whoever delivered supplies would be witnesses who could corroborate, although it would never get to court. The thing to do would to be elect to defend.

cheers skip

 

[JohnM]

My brother and his wife are in isolation until next Monday after driving into WA from the east last week.

So far, the police have checked on them twice. On each occasion the officers have first phoned - but while in their vehicle outside my brother's house. No problems.

 

[nutwood]

I am wondering if checking on people at the incorrect address is leading to some exagerated figures as to non-compliance? Tasmania seemed to have about 98% compliance, according to the figures I saw early on in the piece.
I must admit I haven't seen recent figures but I was surprised when I read that in Victoria, a third of people weren't home when checked on. That seemed far too high unless there was something seriously wrong with how the message was being sold.

 

[PineappleSkip]

My brother and his wife are in isolation until next Monday after driving into WA from the east last week.

Did they have to isolate at Eucla or were they allowed to continue west from there?