NSW police were handing more than twice as many Covid fines to residents of western Sydney than to those living in the city and eastern suburbs – even before the crackdown in the west and south began -west of town.
Figures obtained exclusively as part of Freedom of Information by NCA NewsWire show that between June 25 – when the city of Sydney and three Eastern Suburban Council wards were closed – and July 8, the day before the launch by NSW Police in controversial ‘high visibility operation’ in South West Sydney – Police issued 251 Sanction Violation Notices to people living in the lockdown area.
In the western suburbs, they issued 572 PINs.
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Sydney City recorded the most fines, 119, followed by Parramatta with 79 fines, Fairfield with 75, Liverpool 73 and Blacktown 71.
The police command that has authority over Bondi has imposed just seven fines during this period.
Canterbury-Bankstown Mayor Khal Asfour said he was not surprised by the numbers.
“We felt that the government did not do enough when the epidemic started in the eastern suburbs.
“We think it’s important that everyone do the right thing, and the police presence should be present throughout the city – it shouldn’t be a two-city story.
Cumberland Mayor Steve Christou said his community felt “targeted” by police.
“West Sydney inherited it, and it is now evident that West Sydney was targeted even as Covid-19 was spreading to the eastern suburbs,” he said.
“The residents of the eastern suburbs are better off, richer and in positions of influence, while the residents of western Sydney are not in the same category.
“Residents of West Sydney are more vulnerable, have lower socio-economic status and are often migrant families – they don’t have the same power to make noise and these politicians really worry, that’s a easy and vulnerable group to target.
The officer in charge of the operation, Deputy Commissioner Mal Lanyon, denied that the police would treat residents of these areas any differently from those in affluent eastern suburbs.
“It’s not about discrimination. It is not about racism. It is about enforcing the sanitary order and we will do it in a fair and balanced way, ”he told Channel 9 on July 9, the day the operation began.
“We have had a very visible presence throughout Sydney since the health ordinances came into effect and the Sydney lockdown about two weeks ago.”
Greater Sydney went into lockdown on June 26, the day after the Eastern Suburbs and CBD.
New South Wales officials first identified areas of the council of
NSW Police acknowledged the correct numbers, but declined to comment further.
TOP 10 CITY POLICE ZONE ORDERS BY PIN ISSUED
June 25 to July 8
Sydney City – 119
Parramatta – 79
Fairfield City – 75
Liverpool City – 73
Blacktown – 71
Saint-Georges – 69
Cumberland – 49
Mount Druitt – 42
Nepean – 40
Auburn 39
Sydney
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