Brisbane City Council in parking fine cash grab

BRISBANE City Council plans on dishing out more than $100,000 worth of parking fines every day this financial year as it chases down a ballooning revenue target.

BRISBANE City Council plans on dishing out more than $100,000 worth of parking fines every day this financial year as it chases down a ballooning revenue target.

The Courier-Mail can reveal the council is expected to collect more than $37 million from parking fines in 2018/19 – up 6.2 per cent from last year’s estimated haul of $34.94 million.

The council says it takes a tough stance on illegal parking to prevent safety risks, but the proposed revenue from fines has been slammed by Opposition councillors.

It means parking inspectors will have to issue about $101,000 worth of parking fines every day – or just over $70 every minute – to reach the forecast revenue.

Parking inspectors will be on the beat looking to meet their ballooning revenue target. Picture: AAP/John Gass

Labor Opposition Councillor Jared Cassidy described it as a “pretty extraordinary amount of revenue for a council”.

“We shouldn’t be proud of the fact we’re budgeting to raise nearly $40 million from mum and dad ratepayers out there through fines,” he said.

“We should be doing everything we can to reduce that.”

Cr Cassidy said parking inspectors should be able to issue more warnings and educate residents about parking rules before stinging them with a fine.

“That’s only fair and reasonable that people be given a warning,” he said.

“There is a lot of confusion around what is allowed and not allowed.”

LNP Councillor Amanda Cooper, who heads the council’s infrastructure committee, said they received about 70,000 complaints every year about illegal parking.

“Council takes a tough stance on illegal parking as it can create a safety risk or restrict access for emergency vehicles, cyclists, taxis, commercial vehicles, wheelchairs or prams,” she said.

BCC is also expected to rake in $34.7 million from parking fees in 2018/19, but lose almost all of it to expenses.

“With the cost to implement parking meters, car parks, parking permit schemes and traffic management areas, Council spends as much to administer parking as it collects from paid parking,” Cr Cooper said.