Just 18 out of 128 councils have slashed their parking fines

Just 18 of the state’s 128 councils have taken up a state government request to slash parking fines leading Treasurer Dominic Perrottet to slam those holding out as “hard-core parking fine addicts”. IS YOUR COUNCIL AMONG THE GREEDY ONES?

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Just 18 of the state’s 128 councils have taken up a state government request to slash parking fines leading Treasurer Dominic Perrottet to slam those holding out as “hard-core parking fine addicts who don’t want to break their money-grubbing habit”.

Mr Perrottet is furious his push to lower parking fines across the state is falling flat, with The Sunday Telegraph revealing just five of Sydney’s 29 local government areas have cut non-safety related parking fines from $112 to $80.

While just 13 of 68 country councils have also adopted the scheme.

Sydney of City Council is among the 118 not to slashing parking fines, arguing it would encourage more illegal parking. Picture: John Appleyard

This is despite Mr Perrottet asking local councils in June last year to ensure their fines would be reduced by March 1, 2019.

But councils have hit back, saying leniency would only encourage “out-of-towners who park dangerously on suburban streets”.

“I am disappointed more councils have not got on board,” Mr Perrottet said.

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“It seems like they are using every excuse under the sun to try and dodge giving motorists a break.

“Stating that the majority of people they book are from outside the immediate local area, that the community is against lowering fines, or that people will ignore the law, doesn’t pass muster.”

NSW Treasurer Dominic Perrottet said “parking fines should be a deterrent not an out of scale punishment”. Picture: Joel Carrett

In July last year the state government announced that ten of the most common parking fines it issues will be slashed by 25 per cent.

This relates to fines issued at Sydney Olympic Park, Centennial Park, the Royal Botanic Gardens as well as fines issued by NSW Police and other state government entities.

These fines dropped 12 per cent between July 1, 2018 and December 31, 2018 compared to the same period in 2017, saving motorists $836,000.

In February this year motorists who had parked in a ticketed parking spot for at least an hour were also given a 10-minute grace period.

Councils pulled in $192 million in parking fine revenue in the 2017-18 financial year, compared to about $20m collected by the state government and universities.

Ryde Mayor Jerome Laxale has voted to defer introducing reduced parking fines for his council area. Picture: Justin Lloyd

Randwick and Ryde Councils are the latest to ignore or defer the plan, joining Woollahra, City of Sydney, Campbelltown, Inner West and Canada Bay councils.

Mr Perrottet took aim at Ryde Labor Mayor Jerome Laxale, who voted reduce the fines in December only to backflip at last week’s council meeting.

“Council has yet to determine the matter and resolved to defer it in order to publicly release the council officers’ report,” Mr Laxale said.

“When the matter comes before council, my commitment will be to Ryde residents, not Mr Perrottet or out-of-towners who park dangerously in residential streets, in front of businesses or around our local schools.”

Labor majority councils Blacktown, Liverpool and Fairfield, and Liberal-dominated Camden and Hills councils, are the only Sydney areas to reduce fines.

This year councils have two more opportunities to opt into reducing their fines.