skynews By SkyNews
Premier Daniel Andrews is “angry” after what occurred over the weekend and has announced people will not be permitted to remove their masks to drink alcohol outdoors.
“There will be no removal of masks to consume alcohol outdoors, you will no longer be able to remove your mask to drink a cocktail at a pop-up beer garden on a footpath as part of a pub crawl,” he said.
“I understand Victoria Police are looking at what occurred at a weekend at a number of licensed venues.
“There’s being reviews conduct into the terms of those licences and whether any of those licence holders have done the wrong thing.
“But why am I angry about that? Because it devalues the work that thousands of publicans and restaurant owners and bar owners, the good work they are doing, diligently following COVID-safe protocols providing take-away.
“Pubs are shut for a reason – it is not safe for them to be open,” he said.
Mr Andrews said the poor behaviour of a small number of people devalued the amazing work of the rest.
“In any event, there will be no more drinking alcohol with your mask off in those circumstances. There will — they will simply not be permitted,” he said.
The premier also announced playgrounds, basketball courts, skate parks and exercise equipment will be closed from 11.59pm tonight, while permits for authorised work and authorised higher education students will return 11.59pm Tuesday.
“This spreads amongst kids and we just can’t have the potential transmission sites open,” he said.
“Religious broadcasts, they will be further limited. Same crew. You can’t have a reinvolving crew every week. It’s got to be the same people who produce those broadcasts, as important as they are, each and every time.
“The construction sector – large projects will be reduced to 25 per cent. Smaller projects will have a maximum of five workers. There will be additional restrictions in relation to movement between sites where trades work multiple sites.”
