A Docklands restaurant and a hospitality venue in Sunshine were both hit with the new $1652 fine after failing to have an electronic QR code system, which is mandatory.A venue in Melbourne’s CBD was operating a check-in system which didn’t have government approval.Four businesses repeatedly flouting coronavirus rules were hit with a heftier $9913 fine.They included a Brunswick bakery and hospitality venues in South Melbourne and St Kilda which had no COVIDSafe plan whatsoever.The Saturday Herald Sun can reveal more than 2200 businesses statewide have been targeted with coronavirus safety checks already this month.More than 200 enforcement notices were issued including 59 written warnings, eight verbal warnings and 136 improvement notices.The most common issues identified included businesses not having COVID safety signage up, density quotients not being adhered to, customer tables being too close together or no QR code check-in systems.Most businesses doing the wrong thing were in the hospitality sector.Acting Police Minister Danny Pearson said: “All businesses have a responsibility to provide a COVIDSafe environment for their workers and customers – and we’ll be checking up on them to make sure they know their obligations and are doing the right thing.”“If a business is not following the rules, then they can expect a visit from our authorised officers and enforcement action including on-the-spot fines or temporary closures,’’ he said.The crackdown comes after poor use of the state’s QR code system hampered contact tracers trying to find out who had been exposed to an infected man who’d returned from hotel quarantine in Adelaide.The new $1652 on-the-spot for businesses flouting COVID rules — including enforcing QR code systems — was introduced on May 11.The city and Sunshine venues fined also had no signs stipulating density rules, the latter venue having a manual check-in register which wasn’t being used.Venues hit with the $9913 fine also included a Geelong restaurant.All failed to have an electronic QR code system.Checks will be ramped over coming weeks including across the hospitality, retail, rideshare industries.“Every workplace must be making every effort to have a government approved QR code system working, COVID safety signage up and stick to their density limits – to help us all stay safe and stay open,’” Mr Pearson said.Businesses which repeatedly break safety rules can be receive a prohibition notice shutting them down or in even more serious cases face prosecution in court.State government-approved electronic record-keeping systems are mandatory for commercial passenger vehicles, hospitality and entertainment venues and personal care services.The government’s Service Victoria QR code system is mandatory from May 28.wes.hosking@news.com.au
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