*This Opinion piece was originally publisher in the Daily Telegraph
Ticketless approach is not fine and needs to change to restore public trust in the system
Sunday, 10 November 2024
No one likes getting a parking fine. What’s worse is only finding out about it two weeks later.
That’s the reality for drivers across New South Wales, since the previous Liberal-National Government introduced ‘ticketless’ parking fines in 2020.
Instead of having the infringement notice left on the vehicle, the fine is sent by post, sometimes not being received until weeks after the incident. Last financial year alone, councils issued more than 822,000 ticketless fines, a jump of 49% over the year before, and raised more than $158 million. Issuing ticketless parking fines like this is unfair.
The delay in receiving the ticket by post means it won’t influence behaviour, and there is a chance they can be booked multiple times before even receiving their first ticket. And drivers don’t know they’ve been booked when they get back their car, they can’t take their own photos if they want to contest a fine.
That’s why we have introduced common sense legislation into the parliament. It will be debated this week. If passed, councils will be required to place on the vehicle an on-the-spot notification of a parking fine. There will be limited exceptions, one of which is if the parking officer is in an unsafe or hazardous situation and cannot leave a note.
Parking officers, like many other frontline workers, may face challenging situations when interacting with the public. The ticketless system that has failed the public has also failed them.
It has undermined trust in the system and increased negativity towards the parking officers who issue tickets. That’s why we placed this clear exemption in the legislation.
Our Bill will also make sure councils take photos and will invalidate ‘repeat’ tickets issued before the driver receives the first fine. The NSW Government has engaged extensively with councils since I first publicly raised my concerns in March. I made it clear that the current implementation didn’t meet community expectations and that councils should introduce changes. While some agreed, the reluctance of others, and the need to provide a consistent for experience for drivers across NSW, has made this legislation necessary.
Once the legislation passes, we will work with key stakeholders – including councils – to implement these changes. But I want to make one thing perfectly clear. This legislation doesn’t stop councils from immediately taking steps to improve the system, including providing an on-the-spot notification.
In fact, I would encourage them to act today, in the interest of motorists and the wider community. These reforms are about more than just parking fines. They are about ensuring that our systems are fair, transparent, and meet the expectations of our community.
Minister for Finance
Minister for Domestic Manufacturing and Government Procurement
Minister for Natural Resources
*This op-ed was originally published in the Sunday Telegraph.
