South Australian judges and magistrates caught speeding and running red lights
They are responsible for administering justice to reckless and dangerous drivers. But South Australia’s judges and magistrates have racked up tens of thousands of dollars in traffic fines.
SA News
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Leadfoot judges and magistrates have been caught speeding and running red lights across South Australia in their taxpayer-funded vehicles.
Traffic fine notices obtained by The Advertiser show one judicial car was detected travelling at 26km/h above the limit just a week after it was captured on camera speeding by 13km/h.
And another vehicle racked up seven offences – six for speeding and one at a pedestrian crossing red light – in little more than 18 months.
A total of 72 fines worth $46,293 were issued by SA Police for cars leased to judges and magistrates between July 1, 2016 and October 31 last year.
RAA safety and infrastructure senior manager Charles Mountain said all drivers had to accept responsibility after a horror 2019 for deaths and serious injuries on South Australian roads.
“These figures show that traffic laws are being enforced without fear or favour,’’ Mr Mountain said.
“It’s important that all motorists – whether in private or fleet vehicles – recognise that road safety is paramount when behind the wheel.”
Traffic fines issued to the Courts Administration Authority – obtained under Freedom of Information laws – show 61 were issued for speeding and a further 11 for running a red light.
Eleven of the 48 vehicles captured by fixed and mobile traffic cameras were repeat offenders.
A spokeswoman for State Courts Administrator Julie-Anne Burgess said 70 vehicles were leased to judges and magistrates as part of their salaries.
The spokeswoman said traffic fines were issued to the Courts Administration Authority, which forwarded notices to the judicial officer whose car was involved in the offence.
She said the judge or magistrate nominated the driver of the vehicle at the time of the offence.
Once a driver is nominated the $300 corporate fee automatically levied on companies is removed and demerit points are instead incurred by the offending motorist.
“The person driving the car at the relevant time may not necessarily be the judicial officer,” the spokeswoman said.
“The Courts Administration Authority does not provide payment for any expiations incurred by leased vehicles. The responsibility for payment lies with the nominated driver.”
The traffic camera expiation notices do not include instances where judges and magistrates have committed offences for which they were personally fined and potentially disqualified.
These can include using a mobile phone behind the wheel, failing to wear a seatbelt and driving while under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
Magistrate Simon Milazzo last year lost his licence for seven months and was fined $1000 after he was caught driving while almost twice the legal blood-alcohol limit.
Police officers pulled over Milazzo on Anzac Highway at Glenelg North, where he returned a blood-alcohol reading of 0.099 on April 19, 2019.
In January 2014, Supreme Court Justice Anne Bampton was disqualified for eight months and fined $1300 for hitting a female cyclist while driving with a blood-alcohol reading of 0.121.
Justice Bampton – who at the time of the crash on November 30, 2013, had been appointed to the Supreme Court but was still a District Court judge – apologised to the court.
In May 2002, District Court judge Neal Hume stood down from the bench after being caught driving 16km/h over the speed limit with a blood-alcohol level of 0.15 in January of that year.
Judge Hume, who spent 17 years as a judge and had an unblemished 40-year driving record, was fined $1000 and disqualified from driving for 15 months.