The New South Wales premier, Gladys Berejiklian, has accepted the resignation of her arts minister, Don Harwin, after he was fined $1,000 for staying at his Central Coast holiday
home in breach of a Covid-19 public health order. As governments around Australia were urging their citizens to stay home over Easter, Harwin was spotted earlier in the week at his Pearl Beach house, more than an hour’s drive from his east Sydney primary residence.
Harwin maintained he sought formal advice that his living arrangements complied with the direction for people to stay at home, and that he acted in accordance with those orders.
But he says the controversy over his getaway was a “distraction” for the government at a critical time.
“There is nothing more important than the work of the government in fighting the coronavirus crisis,” Harwin said in a statement.
“I will not allow my circumstances to be a distraction from that work and I very much regret that my residential arrangements have become an issue during this time.
“At all times I have sought to act in accordance with public health orders and I sought advice that my living arrangements complied with those orders. I remain confident that I have acted in accordance with those orders. I know however that perception is just as important during these times.
“The premier and her team are doing an outstanding job during the biggest crisis our state and nation have faced during our lifetimes. It is absolutely vital they should be able to focus entirely on the health and economic issues facing our community.”
Berejiklian accepted Harwin’s resignation, saying: “During this health crisis my government has asked the community to make greater sacrifices than all of us have ever had to make before.
“These sacrifices are saving lives, and I am proud of the people of NSW for continuing to uphold the law in the interest of public health.
“Whilst minister Harwin has served the people of NSW well, and he continues to assure me that he did not break the rules, the orders in place apply equally to everybody. Accordingly, minister Harwin has appropriately resigned from cabinet.”
The arts minister was spotted earlier this week at his million-dollar Pearl Beach house.
The NSW police commissioner, Mick Fuller, said police would investigate, alleging there was photographic evidence of another person in the holiday home.
Officers spoke with the 55-year-old on Thursday and fined him after they were alerted to the fact he had relocated to the Pearl Beach holiday home “in contravention of current ministerial direction under the Public Health Act,” police said in a statement. Fuller said no individual or corporation was above the Covid-19 laws.
