Queenslanders unpaid fines bill exceeds $1 billion

Queenslanders have racked up more than $1 billion in unpaid fines with speeding, toll and driving offences topping the list. SEE HOW YOUR REGION RATES

Speeding, unpaid tolls and driving offences are the top three reasons Queenslander’s have racked up more than $1 billion in unpaid fines.

Statistics from the state treasury department reveal that unpaid fines, through the State Penalty Enforcement Registry, reveal which regions have the highest debt and the common reasons for the fines.

The debt bill is $400,000 down on December 2020.

SCROLL DOWN FOR A REGION BREAKDOWN

Courts can refer fines, compensation and restitution orders and court costs to SPER.

The State Government, including police can also refer fines for not voting, traffic infringements, unpaid tolls, and speeding to the debt collecting agency along with local councils.

Those with a SPER debt can pay it off in instalments.

Across the state more than $1 billion is owed by almost 491,000 people.

More than 73,000 Gold Coast residents have racked up the highest debt in Queensland owing $145,775,000, $37 million of that is due to unpaid speeding fines.

This is more than the $145,113,000 that was owed at the end of 2020.

2021 SPER debt breakdown

SA4 area	Debtors	Balance
Gold Coast	73,948	$145,775,000
Logan/Beaudesert	46,405	$145,753,000
Ipswich	40,447	$110,876,000
Brisbane South	35,451	$75,714,000
Moreton Bay North	26,906	$75,299,000
Brisbane Inner City	34,080	$60,824,000
Wide Bay	24,088	$56,657,000
Townsville	22,622	$56,417,000
Sunshine Coast	25,164	$52,253,000
Central Qld	20,130	$48,878,000
Cairns	26,467	$46,847,000
Brisbane North	17,390	$44,074,000
Brisbane East	17,351	$43,608,000
Qld Outback	16,368	$41,963,000
Moreton Bay South	15,840	$39,518,000
Mackay/Isaac/Whitsunday	14,912	$30,261,000
Darling Downs	13,309	$26,558,000
Toowoomba	12,318	$26,200,000
Brisbane West	7,276	$11,678,000
Other Qld	992	$2,404,000

Logan, despite having just 46,405 debtors, has second highest debt bill at $145,753,000 with unpaid tolls the No. 1 issue – amounting to just shy of $40 million.

The region had topped the list in 2020 with $146 million owed.

Speeding is also the reason 40,000 Ipswich residents owe more than $20 million.

Residents in Moreton Bay North, which includes Caboolture, racked up more than $75 million in fines for speeding, unpaid tolls, driving offences, stealing and drug offences.

Speeding and unpaid tolls were also the most common offences across Brisbane City.

Driving offences, followed by speeding, where the biggest issues in Cairns where $46 million is owed by 26,000 people.