Residents in a lockdown Sydney apartment are experiencing harsh restrictions and policing on their alcohol deliveries.
Residents are allowed either six beers or premixed drinks, one bottle of wine, or one 375ml bottle of spirits. Any excess alcohol is reportedly being confiscated until lockdown rules are lifted.
Mission Australia’s Common Ground building in Camperdown has been the most recent building subjected to these harsh lockdown rules.
The measures come from NSW Health to “ensure the safety of health staff and residents”.
Residents of the complex are not happy and have complained that their care packages, sent by friends and relatives, are being searched before they’re delivered.
One resident told News.com: “They are searching all bags and things coming into the building … They confiscated a series of gifts. So things like bottles of spirits, we weren’t allowed to have those and we still (aren’t),”.
Food packages arrived with broken seals too. Our food and mail are being searched. Why is @NSWHealth & @nswpolice searching our mail & food. We are still waiting for answers. Cc: @CommonGroundRes #CommonGroundLockdown pic.twitter.com/WpsCDxWm5g
— MS SΛFFΛΛ صفاء (@MsSaffaa) September 7, 2021
According to a NSW Health spokeswoman, when they took over the apartment building to try to reduce the spread of COVID-19, it became subject to alcohol consumption restrictions.
NSW public health orders don’t include alcohol restrictions, making it unclear what power they are asserting by limiting alcohol deliveries to individuals in isolation.
6 beers a day? this is how the Australian Revolution starts https://t.co/PohpTn5fhx
— metaltxt (@metaltxt) September 8, 2021
Mission Australia’s CEO James Toomey released in a statement: “We know the experience of a lockdown is very challenging for everyone living and working at Common Ground. Mission Australia is fully engaged with tenants and is providing support to them within the parameters of NSW Health and Police guidelines”.
“We continue to work alongside NSW Health, NSW Police, DCJ, cleaners and other tenancy support teams and local community organisations to ensure the safety of tenants and staff, and to ensure support and supplies are provided to people living at Common Ground during the lockdown.”
Residents of the apartment in lockdown have been informed that they can speak with a clinician if they feel they need more than the allowed limit.
