Brisbane city councillor apologises after parking in disabled spot

IF YOU’RE going to wrongly park in a disabled parking spot, make sure your vehicle isn’t emblazoned with your name and photo.

Ryan Murphy’s council vehicle was snapped in the disabled spot at Tingalpa.

A BRISBANE city councillor has apologised unreservedly and paid a fine after being caught parked in a disabled parking bay.

A ute belonging to Doboy councillor Ryan Murphy that was emblazoned with his name, photograph and council logo was photographed outside The Coffee Club at Tingalpa.

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The man who took the photo, who declined to be named, said he was upset because he often drove his disabled mother around and knew how difficult it was to find a disabled park.

“There was no reason for them to be in the disabled parking bay at all,” he said.

“Something like that from a councillor is completely different.”

He said other spaces had been available in the car park at the time.

Doboy division councillor Ryan Murphy

Cr Murphy, who holds his ward with less than a 5 per cent margin, yesterday apologised unreservedly and sincerely.

“There is never any excuse for parking in a disability parking bay,” he said. “Nobody is more disappointed in my actions than me.

“I have today accepted and paid a parking fine that has been issued to me in response to the incident.”

Cr Murphy said in his haste, he did not realise it was a disabled bay.

“There were other spaces available in the car park at this time, which I would have used instead if I had realised this was a disability parking bay.

“But this is not an excuse,” he said.

The fine for parking in a disabled bay without a permit is $235.