In the last week Bernie Smith has heard of four incidents of people deliberately coughing or spitting on people.
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The NSW/ACT secretary of SDA, the union for retail, fast-food and warehouse workers, was particularly disgusted when told a customer spat in the mouth and face of an Illawarra retailer.
"The member was refusing someone a product limit on a particular item so everybody could have their fair share and that customer spat in the face and mouth of our member.
"It's vile, it's disgusting and it's unacceptable," he said.
That's why Mr Smith has backed the NSW Government's latest move.
Anyone coughing or spitting on any worker will face a $5000 on-the-spot fine with tough measures introduced to protect health care staff and police now extended to all workers.
On Sunday the Health Minister Brad Hazzard said anyone at work or travelling to or from work would be protected, after several recent incidents involving retail and transport workers.
Mr Hazzard last week made a Ministerial Direction under the Public Health Act 2010 allowing NSW Police to issue $5000 on-the-spot fines to anyone who coughs or spits on health workers, police, pharmacists, paramedics or other public officials.
"Unfortunately, there have now also been incidents in which retail staff and transport staff have also been subjected to this disgusting, dangerous behaviour, and it will not be tolerated," he said.
"Every worker in this COVID-19 crisis is now an essential worker and will have the added protection they deserve, including those in retail stores and those critical to our public transport system."
Meantime, nine additional Ruby Princess crew members have tested positive to COVID-19, bringing the total number of confirmed cases on board to 171.
There are also 12 crew members with COVID-19 in NSW Health facilities.
The figures released on Sunday came a day after NSW Police Assistant Commissioner Karen Webb confirmed the Ruby Princess wasn't leaving Port Kembla on Sunday.
Asst Commissioner Webb said she wouldn't like to speculate on a possible leaving date for the troubled ship, but said it would be most likely be towards the end of next week.
Keira MP Ryan Park said he was pleased to see the ship would not be leaving prematurely on Sunday, and said there was no point setting "arbitrary" date targets for when the ship would leave.
"It has been delayed twice. It is clear people don't know what is happening. That is causing anxiety for the crew and it is causing anxiety for the community who want to make sure that the crew get home safely to their families," he said.
"What is very clear is that the government has stuffed this process up when the ship first came to dock and they are stuffing it up as it is about to leave.
"We need transparency about what the criteria is. We need transparency about what level of repatriations the government with the crews line intends on doing....how those repatriations will work."
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