Kate Langbroek slams Australians refusing to wear face masks

Kate Langbroek has urged Australians to wear protective masks as the coronavirus pandemic intensifies.

In an interview on Ten’s The Project on Monday, the 54-year-old radio host slammed people refusing to wear face masks and said it’s important to take precautions.

‘I don’t understand why you would argue with wearing a mask. If you think it is an incursion into your freedoms, wait until you’re in hard lockdown and you can’t walk your dog for four months and see if wearing a mask is a big deal,’ she said.

She added: ‘It seems like a courtesy for people who have to work in shops and deal with strangers, they don’t know what precautions we have taken or how healthy we are or where we have been. It about politeness, courtesy and practicality.’

Kate, who is currently based in Bologna Italy with her husband Peter Lewis, and their four children, went on to say it’s important to wear a mask as it prevents Australia from being forced into lockdown.

‘If you think you’ve had your freedoms denied, the hill that you’re choosing to die on refusing to wear a mask is an odd hill because there are so many freedoms we have learned in Italy the hard way that can be denied,’ she said.

Kate explained being in lockdown for four months in Italy was extremely difficult for herself and her family but the situation has improved.

‘It is more relaxed, as if COVID never happened and I think that is a sense with the summer down here,’ she said.

‘Most people have abandoned themselves unto the summer and in anticipation of an autumn lockdown coming, they’re making the most of it while they can, she added.

The star and husband Peter Lewis relocated to Bologna, Italy with their four children, Lewis, 16, Sunday, 15, Artie, 12, and Jan, nine, in January 2019.

During self-isolation, Kate and husband Peter suffered several run-ins with the local police in Italy.

She said Peter was ‘interrogated’ for 40 minutes after being caught on his bicycle as he collected supplies for the family, accused of breaking lockdown rules.

‘They basically interrogated him and gave him a piece of paper even though it was in Italian, and he couldn’t understand it,’ she told Fox FM’s Hughesy and Ed.

‘It said he’s being sued by the police. I laughed and said: “Good, I hope they deport us. It’s the only way we can get out of here!”’