Australian Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce has been fined by NSW Police for failing to wear a mask, in breach of public health orders. 

NSW Police confirmed that a $200 penalty notice was issued to Joyce on Monday morning for failing to wear a mask in a service station in Armidale.

The Deputy Prime Minister was inside for less than a minute and  member of the public in his own electorate had reported the breach of the public health order to Crime Stoppers. Police checked the CCTV cameras to confirm the report, before issuing the fine.

In an interview with Sky News host Alan Jones on Monday evening, Mr Joyce described the incident as a “funny story”.

“You’ll like this story; I went into the Caltex service station. I was going to the airport. I forgot to get fuel for Biggie, fill the car up with fuel. Went in, 30 seconds later. Two hundred bucks, it cost me because I didn’t wear one of these. That’s life,” he said.

In a statement, a NSW Police spokesman confirmed a man had been fined for breaching the Public Health Act.

“Officers from New England Police District attended a service station at Armidale after receiving a Crime Stoppers report in relation to a possible breach of Public Health Orders about 8am yesterday,” it said.

“The Commissioner of Police has made it very clear to every police officer that, whilst we will take action, we still need to be fair in relation to people who are clearly on the edge of an order, or where they think that they might have a good and reasonable excuse.”

But Mr Worboys said the police would have no hesitation enforcing the rules where necessary.

“Certainly the incident at Armidale, and others around the state over the last 24 hours, are clear evidence that the police will investigate, and they will take action regardless,” he said.