Fare evaders: Non-fine payers risk losing welfare benefits

REBELLIOUS NSW residents refusing to pay $58 million in fines will risk losing welfare payments in a nationwide crackdown on fine defaulters.

Refuse to pay an overdue parking fine and you could be stripped of your welfare. Picture: John Grainger

• Free-loading fare evaders face tough new laws
• Fare evasion at all-time low after crackdown

REBELLIOUS NSW residents refusing to pay $58 million in fines will risk losing welfare payments in a nationwide crackdown on fine defaulters.

The Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet is negotiating with state governments to recoup unpaid fines though the social security system, by docking pensions and other welfare payments.

“The Department of Social Services is considering mechanisms that could provide for outstanding court imposed fines to be deducted from ongoing welfare payments … all states have expressed an interest in the policy,’’ the department has told the Senate Finance Committee.

A council ranger issues a ticket in Manly.

The NSW government has raked in $2 billion of revenue from fines in the past five years, including $276 million between last July and February.

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Since 2011-12 residents have been whacked with $1 billion in parking fines, $870 million in speeding and red light fines, and $65 million for using a mobile phone while driving.

Cyclists have been singled out — the value of fines has risen fourfold, soaring from $395,000 in 2011-12 to $1.67 million in the first eight months of 2016/17. However, many cycling fines were also increased at least threefold in March last year

Government data shows that this year alone, 3990 cyclists have been fined for failing to wear a helmet and 853 for riding on a footpath. Six were handed $425 fines for “riding a bicycle furiously’’.

Bicycle NSW spokeswoman Katie Bell said NSW was the only state to ban riding on the footpath. She called on the government to crack down on motorists who fail to drive a safe distance from cyclists on the roads.

“It is very frustrating to see such a high number of infringements handed out to cyclists,’’ Ms Bell said yesterday.

Government data obtained by The Daily Telegraph reveals that revenue from traffic and food fines has soared by one-third in five years — from $286 million in 2011-12 to $387 million.

But the NSW Government has failed to recoup $58 million in unpaid fines.

NSW courts have referred $140m in debts from fines to the Office of State Revenue (OSR) in the past 18 months. The OSR has recouped only $82 million and is “working to retrieve’’ the outstanding $58 million.

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“These (debts) are currently in the collection process, which includes tailored programs to assist vulnerable clients to pay back money owed without causing further hardship,’’ an OSR spokesman said.

The state government can cancel the driver’s licence or vehicle registration of residents who refuse to pay fines.

Fines may be waived for people with a mental illness, intellectual disability, drug or alcohol addiction, or the homeless, so long as they do unpaid work or attend counselling or drug rehabilitation programs.

Those not receiving welfare payments will not be affected under the proposal.

Welfare recipients can already choose to pay fines or debts through the government’s Centrepay system — with 250,000 using the payback scheme every month.