Fines for breaching Sydney's lockdown are doubled and police are given extra powers to shut down businesses and worksites that don't follow the rules Police have been given new powers to crack down on Covid rule breakers Businesses and work sites across the state can be shut down by police Also the penalty for not wearing a mask where required increases to $500 By Brett Lackey For Daily Mail Australia Published: 02:42 BST, 29 July 2021 | Updated: 02:50 BST, 29 July 2021 Viewcomments Fines for Covid rule breakers in NSW have doubled and police can shut down businesses and construction sites that under wide-ranging new powers. Speaking on Thursday a furious David Elliott, Minister for Police and Emergency Services, said people doing the right thing have had a 'gutful' of those flouting the restrictions. 'That's evident by the fact that we are now getting tens of thousands of people reporting breaches through Crime Stoppers,' he said. Under the new powers granted to the NSW Police Commissioner businesses, construction sites and public premises can be shut down immediately if there is a risk to public health. Also the penalty for not wearing a mask where required more than doubles from $200 to $500. Police talking to locals in Bankstown after a protest earlier this month (pictured) NSW Police and Emergency Services Minister David Elliot (pictured) said the public has 'had a gutful' of Covid rule breakers Mr Elliott said police and the NSW government 'detest' the fact they've have been forced to increase the penalties and provide extra powers to officers, but had to act. 'It is certainly not something that we want to do and it is, in fact, something that we cannot wait to shred,' he said. 'But it's quite clear from the overwhelming number of people that are doing the right thing, that same overwhelming number of people have had a gutful of their fellow residents doing the wrong thing,' 'We're noticing too much of a lack of complains from businesses or from premises.' NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian added. More to follow. Fines for not wearing a mask across in Sydney will double (Pictured: Police talking to a woman in Bondi) Share or comment on this article: All rights reserved for this news site (dailymail) and under his responsibility