Ryde Council decides not to opt in to reducing parking fines

In December last year, Ryde Council followed the lead of Mayor Jerome Laxale in taking the first steps to reduce the cost of parking fines. But that position has now changed.

Ryde Council has decided not to ‘opt in’ to reducing the most common parking fines after giving an earlier commitment to do so.

Ryde Labor Mayor Jerome Laxale has been slammed for a “monumental backflip” in withdrawing his support for a reduction in parking fines after being a flag bearer for it ahead of his State Election tilt.

NSW Treasurer Dominic Perrottet and Ryde’s conservative councillors accused Cr Laxale of embracing a State Government reform for political gain in his failed bid to unseat Victor Dominello, before he did a U-turn on it last week.

Ryde Council decided to ‘opt in’ to reducing the most common parking fines from $112 to $80 last December, when Cr Laxale called for it in a mayoral minute.

But in a confidential session at last week’s meeting, Cr Laxale was among the Labor and Greens councillors to vote against it.

Mr Perrottet said it was “extremely disappointing” but “not surprising” that Cr Laxale and his ALP colleagues had done an about-face on the issue.

NSW Treasurer and Epping MP Dominic Perrottet has hit out at Ryde Council for taking its back on ratepayers in not opting in to reduce parking fines.

“Labor are always reaching into your back pocket rather than finding better ways to do things,” the Epping MP said.

“It comes as no surprise Ryde Council, led by their Labor Mayor Jerome Laxale, can’t kick their addiction to parking fines.

“Parking fines are meant to act as deterrents but instead of looking at new measures to help the turnover of parking spots and improve safety, Ryde Council wants to sit back and count their money instead of making a real difference.”

Revenue NSW figures show Ryde Council made $4.1 million in revenue from parking fines last year, up slightly from $4 million in 2017.

Cr Laxale said he changed his mind on the issue after a staff report showed that adopting the reform would adversely impact local residents and businesses.

“(When) we found out that 82 per cent of all relevant fines issued were to non-locals, it became apparent that opting into the fine reduction would have great impact on local residents and businesses and would only serve to reward people who break the law,” he said.

“That was an unacceptable outcome.

Standing firm: Ryde Mayor Jerome Laxale.

“In between the mayoral minute and last Tuesday’s vote, I also had time to reflect.

“I consulted with parents who take their kids to school, residents who live close to Macquarie Park and businesses in our town centres. A reduction in fines would only make schools less safe, local roads more clogged and impact on businesses.”

Independent councillor Roy Maggio, a former Liberal mayor, said that Cr Laxale should not have used the issue to boost his prospects of beating Liberal Mr Dominello at the election.

“The Mayor’s been caught out badly here — and this can only be described as a monumental backflip by him,” Cr Maggio said.

Liberal councillors Jordan Lane and Trenton Brown issued a joint statement, saying: “Ratepayers are being punished for the Mayor’s State Election defeat.

“During his third tilt at the state seat of Ryde, his Labor/Green alliance was fully supportive of reducing fines.

“Now he has lost, he wants ratepayers to continue paying higher charges.

“Blatant revenue raising is not on, and the Liberals are committed to reducing the cost of government for our ratepayers and stakeholders.”

Cr Laxale hit back, saying: “This pack of Liberals will make a song and dance about everything and anything.

“However, my priority will always be to put the best interests of Ryde locals first, and not to reward outsiders who break the law.”