Teens in wild pool parties accused of breaching rules
UNINVITED teens accused of boozing it up and swimming in the pool of a suburban unit block have been called out for flouting COVID-19 social distancing restrictions.
Under Queensland Health COVID-19 regulations the use of "swimming pools including public pools and pools in shared facilities such as hotels and apartments" is considered a non-essential activity.
Former resident of the Whitehaven Apartments Simon Cross alleges groups of teens from the Yorkeys Knob neighbourhood have regularly crashed the units to drink booze poolside and take a dip.
A furious Mr Cross approached the unit body corporate and letting agent and attempted to make a formal complaint to police but said his concerns had not been taken seriously.
"My concern is the fact that it hasn't been locked down, the other concerns are … the whole of Yorkeys can use it, and they do," he said.
"I have caught dozens of kids in there, they have parties … and get as many people in there as possible.
"I have contacted the body corp, they are not interested and I have contacted the principal letting agent and they just ignore me.
"And I have been to the Smithfield Police."
From May 15 under the Queensland Government's road map to coronavirus recovery, groups of 10 may use public pools, but until then Mr Cross said the law is being broken.
The former Salvation Army worker has since moved out of the Yorkeys Knob unit block but not before attempting to lodge a formal complaint with Cairns police.
"The duty officer wouldn't accept or allow me to make a formal complaint and said I was wasting police time," he said.
The self described "troublemaker" said he just wanted the teens to be "made an example of".
When contacted by the Cairns Post unit block caretaker Troy Price said he had not heard about unauthorised pool use and insisted pool closure signs were on display at the Wattle St units.
"There is a sign there, if you go there now you can take a photo of it yourself (and) the common change room has been locked," he said.
Originally published as Cairns teens in wild pool parties accused of breaching rules
