Why was Stacey Hampton REALLY in Melbourne? Married At First Sight star faces questions about interstate ‘business trips’ 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 bride, 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 to do ‘essential’ legal and accounting work for a travel company in Melbourne, and is also setting up a postnatal depression charity there.
In South Australia, essential travellers are allowed to enter the state and continue as normal. Non-essential travellers need to self-quarantine for 14 days.
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 her visit to a salon 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 visited a hair salon and went car shopping with her friend Anthony Hess, activities she insists were business related. Pictured on April 14
‘Employees are fine’: Stacey claims to do ‘essential’ legal and accounting work for a travel company in Melbourne, and is also setting up a postnatal depression charity there
The mother-of-two claimed her shopping trips with Anthony for sports cars were also ‘essential’ because she required a vehicle to be able to work in Melbourne.
She added that any other pictures of the pair at luxury boutiques were throwback photos taken before the coronavirus pandemic.
Stacey has been flying to Melbourne every other week to work for the unspecified travel company and to establish her charity.
‘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.
Clarification: The mother-of-two claimed her shopping trips with Anthony for sports cars were also ‘essential’ because she required a vehicle to be able to work in Melbourne
Throwback: She added that any other pictures of the pair at luxury boutiques were throwback photos taken before the coronavirus pandemic
On Wednesday, Stacey was stopped by police as she returned home to Adelaide following her latest interstate business trip.
South Australia Police said in a statement: ‘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 disputed this, however, telling Daily Mail Australia: ‘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 in January