Norfolk Island Police Force

MEDIA RELEASE
Travel to the island from states and territories that have on-going COVID-19 community transmission (the “Living with COVID” states and territories)

Travel to the island from states and territories which have community transmission of COVID-19 remains restricted to returning residents and essential workers. If you are a fully vaccinated returning resident or an essential worker, you will be tested upon arrival and be required to self-isolate at home until you return a negative test result. This may take up to 7 days. If you are an unvaccinated or partially vaccinated returning resident or essential worker, you will be required to self-isolate at home for 14 days or until released by NIHRACS.

The states and territories to which this requirement applies is NSW, Victoria and the ACT and will remain until 1 December.

Travel to the island from 1 December

From 1 December the island will allow visitors from states and territories where there is on-going community transmission and have reached 80% vaccination. Proof of vaccination will be required to be attached to the entry pass application. Unvaccinated travellers will be required to undergo 14 days self-isolation on the island or until released by NIHRACS. Fully vaccinated travellers will not be required to undergo self-isolation. This applies to travellers from NSW, Victoria, and the ACT.

Travel from states and territories that do not have any community transmission will remain unchanged. This means that both vaccinated and unvaccinated travellers from these states and territories will be able to travel to the island without having to undergo self-isolation. This applies to Queensland, Western Australia, Tasmania, Northern Territory and South Australia.

It is expected that these requirements will be in place until all states and territories reach the stage of being fully open under their respective roadmaps for living with COVID.

For any questions about the COVID-19 response on Norfolk Island, please visit the Norfolk Island Regional Council website: http://www.norfolkisland.gov.nf/covid-19-advice-norfolk-island in the first instance or contact Detective Sergeant Glenn Elder, IMT Incident Controller at [email protected] or +6723 22222. Alternatively, could you contact the Welfare Co-ordinator on 52777.

21 October 2021
EMT

COVID-19 Advice for Norfolk Island | Norfolk Island Regional Council Please note that the advice on this page will be reviewed and updated regularly by the Emergency Management Team (EMT). Last Updated Thursday 14 October 2021. To stay up to date with COVID-19 information for Norfolk Island, visit this page regularly and/or follow the Emergency Management Norfolk Isl...

COVID-19 Alert

Any person that has travelled to Norfolk Island since 23 September 2021, please access the following Qld Heath website to see the latest listed COVID-19 public exposure sites in Qld. A number of new public exposure sites have been listed since 21 September 2021.

www.qld.gov.au/health/conditions/health-alerts/coronavirus-covid-19/current-status/contact-tracing

Please check this site every morning of your stay on Norfolk Island.

If you identify that you have visited the listed public exposure sites:
Isolate yourself and anyother person you travelled with;
Contact Norfolk Island Police and follow their instructions; and
If you or any other member of your travelling companions display symptoms of cold or flu, contact the hospital on 22091. DO NOT attend the hospital, ring them first.

Contact tracing (exposure sites) — coronavirus (COVID-19) Information about the current COVID-19 public contact tracing alerts in Queensland.

COVID-19 Advice for Norfolk Island | Norfolk Island Regional Council Please note that the advice on this page will be reviewed and updated regularly by the Emergency Management Team (EMT).

Can you assist with information about recently stolen jewellery?

Between the 13th and 21st of June, a number of jewellery items were stolen from a home in Webb Adams Road. Bracelets, rings and a necklace were taken and police are keen to speak to anyone with information about the theft.

If you have seen the jewellery pictured below or have information that can assist, please contact police on 22222.

COVID-19 Advice for Norfolk Island | Norfolk Island Regional Council Please note that the advice on this page will be reviewed and updated regularly by the Emergency Management Team (EMT). Last updated on Friday 7 May 2021. To stay up to date with COVID-19 information for Norfolk Island, visit this page regularly and/or follow the Emergency Management Norfolk Island....

COVID-19 hotspots Areas in Australia that the Queensland Chief Health Officer has declared COVID-19 hotspots for the purpose of current Public Health Directions posted in the Queensland Health website.

POLICE REPORT – 14 January 2021

New member sworn into NIPF

Leading Senior Constable Linda Apps was sworn in as a member of the NIPF on Tuesday 12 January 2021. Linda will be deployed here for the next two years, and brings with her a wealth of experience and knowledge on community policing.

Linda has been a police officer for 20 years, and during that time has worked in the ACT Community Policing, Crime Prevention, Collision Investigation and Reconstruction, and Intelligence. Linda has also spent several months on Christmas Island at the Immigration Detention Centre, and been deployed to Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea undertaking capacity development of those countries police forces.

In 2017 Linda was seconded to the NIPF for several months. Linda is grateful for the opportunity to return to Norfolk Island to work and be involved with the island community



COVID-19 Restrictions

EMT met on Thursday 14 January 2021 and agreed to ease the requirement for local isolation associated with travellers from NSW. Travellers from the Central Coast, Wollongong and some parts of Sydney will no longer be required to undertake self-isolation on the island.
However, travellers from the following areas of Greater Sydney are still required to undertake self-isolation on arrival.

City of Blacktown
City of Canada Bay
City of Canterbury-Bankstown
City of Fairfield
City of Parramatta
Cumberland Council
Inner West Council
Municipality of Burwood
Municipality of Strathfield

RBT Results for New Year’s Eve

NIPF conducted over 300 roadside breath tests during New Year’s Eve and only one resident was detected to be over the limit of 0.05%. This is very encouraging to see that persons are planning their evening in advance when drinking alcohol, so that they have alternative transportation to get home.

Contact for NIPF

Phone 22222 or 977 for Police enquiries, attendance and emergencies.

If the station is unattended, please use the courtesy telephone located near the front door to contact on duty or on-call Police officers 24/7.

Information can be provided anonymously to crimestoppers.com.au or by phoning: 1800 333 000

Norfolk Island Police Force
PO Box 470
Norfolk Island 2899

Email: [email protected]

Changes to the Traffic Act 2010 (NI)

The Norfolk Island Traffic Act 2010 (NI) (the Traffic Act) and the Traffic (General) Regulations (the Traffic Regulations) have been amended. The main changes are summarised below.

The information in this fact sheet is general advice only and cannot be relied on in legal proceedings. Please seek legal advice if you are unclear about the application of the changes in relation to your own circumstances.

What changes will commence from 19 March 2021?

New safety measures for ute tray riding

The following new safety measures will apply:
• Only full licence holders will be permitted to have passengers in the open ute or truck tray.
• Drivers must pass a written test about the rules applying to ute tray riding to get a licence endorsement before they can transport passengers in the open tray.
• Drivers must maintain zero blood alcohol content if transporting passengers in the open ute or truck tray.
• Ute tray riding will be subject to a night-time curfew between 8 pm and 6 am.
• People must be at least 8 years of age to legally travel in an open ute or truck tray.
More details about the test and the licence endorsement process will be made available early in 2021.

What changes commence immediately?

Allowing P-platers from other jurisdictions to drive in Norfolk Island

Drivers with valid full licences from other jurisdictions can drive in Norfolk Island for up to 3 months under the Recognised Licence Scheme without having to apply for a Norfolk Island licence.

Drivers under the Recognised Licence Scheme must comply with Norfolk Island road rules.

The Recognised Licence Scheme now covers provisional licence holders (P-platers) from other jurisdictions.

These P-platers will be subject to equivalent conditions, restrictions and penalties as Norfolk Island P-platers, including (but not limited to):
• The drink and drug driving laws applicable to novice drivers, who are drivers under the age of 18, learner drivers or P-platers.
• The night-time curfew from 10 pm to 6 am.
• Requirement to display a “P” sign affixed to the inside of the front and the rear windows.
• If a P-plater from another jurisdiction accrues 6 or more demerit points, this will result in the cancellation of their driving privileges under the Recognised Licence Scheme. Disqualification periods may also apply.

Roadside mobile drug testing

Norfolk Island Police Force (NIPF) officers will be able to commence roadside mobile drug testing, consistent with arrangements in other Australian jurisdictions. Driving under the influence of drugs is illegal and roadside mobile drug testing will enable NIPF officers to detect drivers breaching the law.

The procedures for roadside mobile drug testing are similar to random breath testing. NIPF officers can require a driver to stop a vehicle on the road and request the driver submit to saliva testing to ascertain whether the driver is driving under the influence of drugs.

If a person’s saliva test indicates the presence of a drug or psychotropic substance, the NIPF officer can arrest the person without warrant and require the person to undergo saliva analysis or have a blood sample taken.

Failure to submit to a saliva test as required by the NIPF officer, or failing to following the instructions for the test, can lead to arrest without warrant.

If charged with driving under the influence of drugs, automatic licence suspension will apply.

Automatic licence suspension for high risk driver behaviour

Automatic licence suspension applies in the following circumstances:
• If the person refuses to submit to a breath or saliva test, a breath or saliva analysis, or to have a blood sample taken – their licence is automatically suspended for 24 hours from the time of the refusal until the person is either charged with a major driving offence or the 24 hours ends.
• If a person is charged with certain major driving offences, including driving under the influence of drugs or
psychotropic substances or high range drink driving – their licence is suspended from the time they are charged until either the charge is withdrawn or the person is acquitted or convicted of the offence.

A major driving offence is defined in the Traffic Act to mean a range of serious offences, including (but not limited to) culpable driving, murder or manslaughter caused by the manner of driving, reckless and dangerous driving, driving while disqualified.

Under certain circumstances, a person whose licence has been suspended or who is disqualified from driving may be able to apply to the Court of Petty Sessions for a special licence to enable travel from home to and from employment.

Changes to offences and other provisions

Various other amendments have been made, including:
• Remedying an inconsistency in the legislation that omitted novice drivers and commercial drivers from the high range drink driving offences.
• Creating a minor offence where a person drives a motor vehicle with an “L” or “P” sign affixed to it without holding a corresponding licence.
• Providing that a court determining the sentence for a traffic offence would be able to take into account a previous finding of guilt for another traffic offence, whether or not a conviction had been recorded for that offence, in determining the appropriate penalty.

Consultation

Extensive community and stakeholder consultation was undertaken on the proposed changes during 2019 and 2020.

Where can I get further information?

For law enforcement matters:
• Norfolk Island Police Force, phone 22222, email [email protected]

For registry matters:
• Norfolk Island Regional Council, phone: +6723 22000, email [email protected]

COVID-19 latest news and cases updates NSW Government COVID-19 news, hotspots and areas for increased testing, daily updates on statistics and cases, public health alerts and social media announcements.

POLICE REPORT – 17 December 2020

COVID-19 Restrictions

EMNI Committee met on Monday 14 December 2020 and agreed to extend the State of Emergency until 28 February at 11:59pm. EMNI will continue to monitor the mainland COVID-19 environment and take action, if necessary, to minimise the risk of the virus spreading to Norfolk Island.
Masks are no longer mandatory when travelling on tour buses, domestic flights and when moving through domestic terminals. Businesses and event organisers are able to keep this requirement as part of their COVID-Safe Plan.
All gatherings for 100+ persons require a COVID-Safe Plan to be approved by the Incident Controller (OIC NIPF) prior to the event occurring.
RBT Results for last weekend

NIPF conducted over 50 roadside breath test last weekend and only one resident was detected to be over the limit of 0.05%. It is encouraging to see that persons are planning their evening in advance when drinking alcohol, so that they have alternative transport to get home.

Emily Bay Bridge

The Emily Bay bridge will reopen on Saturday 18 December 2020. Council workers did an excellent job of getting the bridge repaired in a timely manner just before the Christmas/New Year period commences.

Christmas and New Year message

NIPF wish the community and visitors a Merry Christmas and a prosperous and safe new year. Fingers crossed for a better year in 2021.

It has been a challenging year for the Norfolk Island community, starting with a water scarcity emergency, which was then broken by the arrival of Cyclone Gretel, and immediately followed by COVID-19 for the rest of the year. NIPF would like to thank the community, and all involved in each of the three emergencies, for all of your support and efforts in getting through these emergencies. It is great to see the island now in a recovery phase, with tourists returning in numbers and businesses starting to thrive again.

We look forward to the new year with hope and anticipation of a better year for all.

Contact for NIPF

Phone 22222 or 000 for Police enquiries, attendance and emergencies.

If the station is unattended, please use the courtesy telephone located near the front door to contact on duty or on-call Police officers 24/7.

Information can be provided anonymously to crimestoppers.com.au or by phoning: 1800 333 000

Norfolk Island Police Force
PO Box 470
Norfolk Island 2899

Email: [email protected]

POLICE REPORT – 3 December 2020

Dog Complaints

NIPF have received complaints of dogs attacking livestock, domestic animals and people over the last few months. Dog owners and keeps are reminded that they are responsible and liable for the actions of their dogs under the Dog Registration Act 1936 (NI) and Dog Registration regulations 1994 (NI). NIPF are appointed as Inspectors and responsible for enforcement of offences under the legislation:
Dog Registration Act 1936 (NI)
Dogs may be seized and destroyed
13. (1) An inspector may seize and destroy an unregistered dog.
(2) An inspector may destroy a dog that is —
(a) molesting stock or a domestic animal; or
(b) molesting a person.
(3) An inspector may seize and detain a registered dog that is in a prescribed place.
(4) An inspector shall, by notice in writing served by post, notify the keeper or reputed keeper of the detention of a dog seized under subsection 13(3) and request him or her to claim the dog without delay.
(5) Where a person neglects or fails to comply with a request within 48 hours after receipt of a request to do so under subsection 13(4), the inspector may destroy the dog.
Liability for costs etc
13A. (1) Where an inspector seizes, or seizes and detains, a dog under section 13, the costs related to its seizure and detention are a debt due and payable to the Administration by the keeper of the dog.
(2) The costs referred to in subsection 13A(1) include all reasonable costs incurred by the inspector in relation to —
(a) the dog’s capture;
(b) its board and maintenance including food;
(c) veterinary services that may be required for the well-being of the dog; and
(d) its destruction and disposal.
PART 4 — OFFENCES ETC
Dog attacking persons or domestic animals
15. (1) The keeper of any dog which rushes at or attacks any person or domestic animal whereby the person is endangered or the animal injured shall be guilty of an offence and shall, in addition, be liable to pay for any damage caused by the dog.
Penalty: 10 penalty units (one penalty unit equals $100).

Police Resources over Christmas and New Year

Over the Christmas and New Year period NIPF will have its full complement of six officers working, with four patrol vehicles utilised. The focus of NIPF over this period will be:

• Drink driving
• Speeding
• Wearing of seat belts
• Stop signs
• Alcohol and drug fuelled violence
• Responsible service of alcohol in licenced premises, and
• Safe party practices for festive season celebrations

Contact for NIPF

Phone 22222 or 000 for Police enquiries, attendance and emergencies.

If the station is unattended, please use the courtesy telephone located near the front door to contact on duty or on-call Police officers 24/7.

Information can be provided anonymously to crimestoppers.com.au or by phoning: 1800 333 000

Norfolk Island Police Force
PO Box 470
Norfolk Island 2899

Email: [email protected]

POLICE REPORT – 26 November 2020

COVID-19 Update

Travelling to Norfolk Island from South Australia
As there have been no new cases in South Australia, travellers from South Australia are allowed to travel to Norfolk Island with no quarantine requirements, effective from Thursday 26 November 2020.
Travelling to Norfolk Island from Victoria
Quarantine requirements for travellers from Victoria were removed on Monday 23 November 2020.

Contact tracing registers

Norfolk Island businesses and public offices are reminded they are required to maintain a visitor register that includes any person who spends more than 15 minutes at the business/office. This includes all staff, trades persons and cleaners.

Police Focus over the Summer Months

Over the coming summer months, Norfolk Island Police will be focusing on the following policing functions:

• Drink driving
• Speeding especially in school zones
• Wearing of seat belts
• Stop signs
• Alcohol and drug fuelled violence
• Responsible service of alcohol in licenced premises, and
• Safe party practices for upcoming festive season celebrations

RBT results during Food Festival
NIPF are pleased to advise that over 30 drivers were screened for alcohol during the Food Festival event and only one driver was detected to be over the prescribed limit of 0.05%. We would like to thank the community for planning in advance by nominating designated drivers, arranging alternative transport by being picked up and utilising the Uber vehicles now operating on the island.
Contact for NIPF

Phone 22222 or 000 for Police enquiries, attendance and emergencies.

If the station is unattended, please use the courtesy telephone located near the front door to contact on duty or on-call Police officers 24/7.

Information can be provided anonymously to crimestoppers.com.au or by phoning: 1800 333 000

Norfolk Island Police Force
PO Box 470
Norfolk Island 2899

Email: [email protected]