Sirinthorn Kuwalairat, Stephen Devane facing $823 over Broadbeach parking fiasco

A Gold Coast couple is facing a massive fine and could lose their car after a parking drama they say should never have happened. Here’s what went wrong.

AN Ashmore man has been threatened with having his licence suspended, vehicle seized or wages docked over a parking fine issued while his wife rushed to get change for a meter.

The saga began in October last year when Sirinthorn Kuwalairat pulled up in a council spot outside her Main Place, Broadbeach business, which is one of a number in a strip opposite the Convention Centre.

Ms Kuwalairat, who prefers to pay by cash, ran inside her shop to get change from the till to pay the parking fee.

But in the minute it took her to fetch the money, a parking officer pounced.

“She parked there, she ran across to get coins, came back and then the lady (a parking inspector) was there, doing her thing,” husband Stephen Devane said. “My wife is even in the photos the parking inspector took.

“The parking attendant apologised and said to contact council about the matter. She said ‘there’s nothing I can do, I’ve already put it through, it’s in the system’.”

Images of Sirinthorn Kuwalairat's car taken by council inspectors show her returning to pay the parking fee after collecting change from her shop.

Mr Devane, who was issued the $82 fine as the vehicle’s registered owner, decided to contest the penalty.

“I’ve been arguing with council for the best part of a year about it,” Mr Devane said.

“I said, well, if you really that serious about $82, we don’t agree to it, it’s not reasonable, take me to court.

“... It went quiet for around eight months. Then about six weeks ago I got a summons to the magistrates court in Southport.

“Two weeks before the court case, I paid the fine, but I told council it was with no liability accepted. My wife’s too busy, she’s in business, and I’m an engineer.

“I’d had enough. I’m not going to spend a morning in there waiting in a queue to go into the magistrates court.

“We just couldn’t take the time out to go and argue with these people. We felt we would never win because they just don’t listen and they never reply to correspondence.”

Sirinthorn Kuwalairat and Stephen Devane at their home in Ashmore. Picture: Keith Woods.

The couple thought it would be the end of the matter. But on Wednesday Mr Devane received a state government SPER debt letter demanding payment of $823.55, stating he had been found guilty of the parking offence in his absence.

“We thought paying the fine would be the end of it,” Mr Devane said.

“And then this arrives in the mail – it’s now $823 for an $82 fine which should never have been issued in the first place.

“It’s a rolling circus.

“Just look at what they’re threatening us with. They’re threatening to suspend my licence, take our car, deduct from wages or put a lien on our house.”

Mr Devane said the couple had been trading on Main Place since 2005 but the problem had only emerged in recent years and was hurting small businesses in the area.

“You see the politicians talking about small business,” he said. “Other than Mayor Tom Tate, none of them have ever been in business. So they’ve never had to pay rent or pay staff and they run around doing stuff like this.”

The news comes after the Bulletin on Wednesday revealed the nearby Star Gold Coast will introduce fees for parking on November 22.

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Originally published as Sirinthorn Kuwalairat, Stephen Devane facing $823 over Broadbeach parking fiasco