THE State Government warns local fine evaders their wages could be docked under new legislation to collect missing millions.
The Attorney-General’s office reports that 12,313 people in the City of Maribyrnong owe the government $12.5 million in multiple warrants for unpaid fines.
And it urges offenders to pay up before 1 July, when new legislation will push people to pay fines.
Vehicles of fine evaders could be wheel-clamped, their vehicle registration and licences suspended or wages deducted.
The government will waive the warrant fees until 31 May, in an attempt to encourage evaders to pay before the sanctions are introduced.
Warrant fees will be waived on fines for speeding, running red lights, littering and fare evasion – among other infringements.
A Justice Department spokesperson said people need to pay their original fine plus an administration fee only if they make use of the amnesty.
“It is about giving people a chance to come forward and settle their debt, rather than face the tough new penalties.”
She said the waiver and the new legislation would also allow people on benefits to pay their fines in installments.
Tania Mykyta, managing solicitor at the Footscray Community Legal Centre, said her office contributed to discussions on the legislation.
“We have been part of the process to bring about a change,” she said.
Ms Mykyta said the legislation would give people the option to pay for these kinds of infringements by instalments, before they get to the court process.
She explained the instalment option came at “the court end” of the process.
“But by then there have been costs of anywhere between $50 to $100 added to the original fine,” she said.
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“If the reason you need an installment process is because you are in very difficult financial circumstances -poverty, unemployment, illness- then that just makes more injustice.”
She said the centre also lobbied for the installment payment process for people on Centrelink payments to pay through Centrelink.
“We haven’t seen the legislation yet, we would be very concerned if the legislation allowed for the authorities who are imposing the fines, to impose a payment regime on to a person without their knowledge or without (them) being able to have some input.
“I think that would be a serious infringement of civil rights.
“This is about, and it should be about, people who are not able to pay the debt in one payment to be able to apply for the option to pay by installments.”
Residents owe the Maribyrnong City Council $498,000 in outstanding fines, an amount accumulated over the past five years.
The council’s general manager of corporate services Nick Foa said most of the fines related to parking infringements.
“The council has very high levels of compliance largely due to the decision to manage the fines ourselves than using the PERIN court system,” Mr Foa said.
He said the Maribyrnong City Council was one of the first councils to seek payments of fines through the Magistrates Court directly.
Whereas fines at a state level go through the PERIN court.
The State Government has more than $700 million worth of defaulted fines.
For further information call 9200 8222.
