MP demands data that justified placement of Malanda speed camera
A Far North MP has called for evidence that a Tablelands speed camera is calibrated properly after a tsunami of complaints. One driver was booked 10 times and slapped with fines totalling $10,000.
Cairns
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A Far North MP has called on Minister Mark Bailey provide evidence that a Tablelands speed camera is calibrated properly after a tsunami of complaints.
Up to 200 drivers have been slapped with more than 350 speeding fines and one driver was fined 10 times during a 10-day period last month.
Hill MP Shane Knuth’s office has been inundated with requests from angry drivers that the infringement notices be waived after being booked outside the Ozcare retirement home on Malanda Atherton Rd.
“In the space of a week I have had over 250 individual complaints with more than 400 fines, some with multiple fines,” Mr Knuth said.
“One person who contacted my office today just received 10 fines, totalling over $10,000. This is absolutely absurd and smells purely of revenue raising.”
In an earlier statement Transport and Main Roads insisted the camera was functioning correctly, but Mr Knuth said that was not good enough.
“I want to see cold, hard evidence that the device was certified and tested for calibration at the time it was installed, every day it was at the location and immediately after removal,” he said.
“I won’t stop until we have been supplied with hard evidence to prove the camera was correctly calibrated while at this location.”
On Wednesday Mr Knuth in a Question on Notice to Main Roads Minister Mark Bailey demanded to know what speed-related crashes had occurred within the 60km/h in the past five years to justify the camera’s placement, if the camera was accuracy tested before and during its deployment, as well as who signed off on the camera’s installation.
The Hill MP also questioned the Minister from the floor of parliament on Thursday.
Mr Bailey said he believed the camera was operating without fault however committed to looking into the matter.
“I am not aware of any inaccurate infringements being issued; however, given the member’s representations, I am very happy to ask my acting director-general to look at the certification,” Mr Bailey said.
“Transport and Main Roads and our agencies are very careful about the calibration and the certification of this technology because they know that at some point it can be challenged in a court of law.
“We cannot tolerate people who are speeding on our roads. Speeding is a killer. It is still a big killer of people on our roads.”
TMR previously addressed claims the camera was malfunctioning and stated the device had already been the subject of a review.
“To ensure accuracy, several validations and checks are undertaken prior to infringements being issued from Transportable Road Safety Cameras,” a spokeswoman said.
Heartbreaking stories have emerged of drivers with impeccable traffic histories who now face losing their licenses, including elderly drivers who were booked while visiting loved ones in the nearby aged care home.
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Originally published as MP demands data that justified placement of Malanda speed camera
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