Sydney roads: Owner of ‘intolerant, divisive’ number plates says they’ve gone missing

The owner of plates described as “intolerant and divisive” says they’ve gone missing after being ordered to hand them in.

A motorist with custom number plates seemingly glorifying the October 7 Hamas terror attacks on Israel now claims he has lost them after being ordered to turn them in.

Transport for NSW has ordered the owner to provide a statutory declaration as to how the plates went missing.

False declarations can carry a $22,000 fine and up to two years’ imprisonment.

The Daily Telegraph last week revealed that a complaint about the custom licence plate — which reads OCT7TH — was not acted upon for weeks, because complaints were only assessed on a monthly basis by special plate provider myPlates.

It was only when The Daily Telegraph quizzed officials about the plate that an urgent recall was issued.

Roads Minister John Graham. Picture: NCA NewsWire

Since then, policies have also changed leading to complaints being immediately sent to Transport NSW.

But in a twist following the recall, the purchaser of the OCT7TH plates submitted a legal document stating they have been lost.

Roads Minister John Graham demanded to know how the plates went missing, just 48 hours after a report revealing them had appeared in this newspaper.

The licence plate holder has until February 26 to respond to the call for a statutory declaration.

“In a tiny fraction of cases licence plates can go missing but we are very keen to understand how these particular plates were lost less than 48 hours after making front page news for their message of intolerance and division,’’ Mr Graham said.

“An instruction to surrender offensive licence plates is not a negotiation.

A second number plate has been taken off the road due to tighter rules, despite Transport NSW establishing it was based on the owner’s name.

“In fact, it’s black and white — we expect these plates to be returned.”

The plates were cancelled after being reported to Transport NSW, meaning anyone using them could face penalties of up to $3300, while anyone holding the plates could also face a fine up to $2200.

“Let me spell it out: If they are in your possession, give them back. They remain the property of Transport for NSW,” Mr Graham said.

“The NSW Government has zero tolerance for hate speech. We are not going to tolerate hatred and intolerance being spread in the community.”

Transport NSW statistics state that lost plates represent just 0.003 per cent of the 7.3 million plates currently issued in the state.

The transport department announced in September that hate speech filters for number plates would be tightened, following complaints about a registration plate of a different driver reading 88SIEG — a numeric reference to ‘Heil Hitler’.

In an example of the new rules being enforced, Transport NSW confirmed on Wednesday that another plate would be taken off the road – this one reading NAAZI4 — despite it being based on the driver’s name.

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