Why was Stacey Hampton REALLY in Melbourne? Married At First Sight star faces questions about interstate ‘business trip’ after being stopped by police at Adelaide Airport and told she is ‘NOT an essential worker’
Stacey Hampton has hit back after Adelaide police told her on Wednesday she was not an essential worker following a five-star ‘business trip’ to Melbourne.
The Married At First Sight star, 26, has made four ‘work trips’ to the Victorian capital since March despite coronavirus travel restrictions, and police say she must now stop flying interstate and self-quarantine at home for 14 days.
During her trips to Melbourne, Stacey visited a hair salon and went car shopping with her friend Anthony Hess – but she insists these activities were all business related.
Drama: Married At First Sight’s Stacey Hampton has hit back after Adelaide police told her on Wednesday she was not an essential worker following a five-star ‘business trip’ to Melbourne
She claims she does ‘essential service work’ for a travel company in Melbourne, looking after their ‘legal and accounts’ – and is also setting up a charity there.
Speaking to Daily Mail Australia on Thursday, she said: ‘Anthony is involved in the employment for charity. He is who I spend all my time with as isolation rules suggest that employees are fine. I pay for us to stay at Crown Towers Melbourne. However, I have an apartment that I’m in the middle signing for to base my charity there.’
When asked about visiting a hairdressers in Melbourne on Monday, Stacey explained: ‘I went to the salon to fix my hair and discuss business ventures with companies at the salon. Until I get [my own] premises, it’s hard.’
Business: During her trips to Melbourne, Stacey has been spotted in a hair salon and shopping with friend Anthony Hess (pictured) – but insists this is all business related. Pictured: April 14
‘Employees are fine’: She claims she does ‘essential service work’ for a travel company in Melbourne, and Anthony is an employee of the charity she is setting up in Victoria
The mum-of-two admitted her shopping trips with Anthony to look at sports cars were also essential, as she needs a vehicle to be able to work in Melbourne.
She claims any other pictures of the pair at luxury boutiques are throwback photographs, taken before the coronavirus pandemic.
At present, Stacey has been flying to Melbourne every other week to work for the unknown travel company, and has also been establishing her charity there.
‘I’m only travelling to and from business locations, otherwise I’m isolating in my hotel until I return. I do the legal and accounts for the transport company,’ she said.
Hitting back: Stacey said the only shopping she has done has been business related, such as buying a car. And she visited a Melbourne salon on Monday to ‘discuss business ventures’
Throwback: She claims any other pictures shopping at luxury boutiques with Anthony are simply throwback photographs, taken before the coronavirus pandemic
On Wednesday, Stacey was stopped by South Australia Police as she returned home to Adelaide following her latest interstate business trip to Melbourne.
In a statement to Daily Mail Australia, South Australia Police said: ‘SAPOL can confirm that a 26-year-old woman arriving from Melbourne was stopped at Adelaide Airport this afternoon. Police determined that she was not an essential traveller and therefore she was issued with a direction to self-quarantine for a period of 14 days.’
Stacey said in response to the police statement: ‘This is incorrect. It was just over my form [and] whether or not it was essential. Then I proceeded to collect my son from school.’
Drama: South Australia Police stopped Stacey as she returned to Adelaide on Wednesday, saying she was ‘not an essential traveller’ and must self-quarantine at home. Pictured: Jan 14