Gold Coast Council parking fines soar to new highs after latest increase, Marathon attendees among first hit

Parking fines on the Gold Coast have been hiked again, with some now having gone up by more than 50 per cent in just 18 months. Full details.

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The cost of a basic parking ticket on the Gold Coast has soared to more than $100 for the first time after a fresh hike in fines on July 1.

Parking in a council bay without paying the meter, or for longer than allowed, will now set back motorists $103 – up from $82 just 18 months ago.

The fine for stopping in a loading zone has risen to $123, for stopping on a yellow line to $193 and for stopping in a bus zone to $232.

Drivers found parking in a disability spot without a permit will be forced to shell out $619.

A council rubbish truck which residents reported struggled to get down an Oxenford street. Picture: Robbie Wright/Facebook.

One of the biggest leaps has been in the cost of being caught out parking on a nature strip. Until April 29 last year the fine for this offence was $110. Last week it was $179. It is now $193 – an increase of 57 per cent in the last year and a half.

The infringement is a frequent source of complaints in suburban areas with narrow streets, with one Oxenford resident saying a council rubbish truck had struggled to make its way down a road on June 27 after cars were forced off the nature strip.

“By not letting people park half on the nature strip the good ole garbage truck couldn’t get down our street to do his job,” the resident said.

“He was knocking on doors to get his job done. Council are going into these streets booking people parking half on the nature strip. Council are the problem.”

The jumps come after council increased the number of “penalty units” it levies for certain offences in April last year, and the value of those penalty units was increased from $143.75 to $154.80 on Saturday July 1 – the start of the new financial year.

The penalty unit value is set by the state government, and raised each year in line with inflation, which in 2022 was 7.8 per cent.

Being caught parking on a nature strip will now set you back $193. Picture: Jerad Williams

Mayor Tom Tate told the Bulletin that while fines were up as a result of the increase in the penalty unit, the city was providing drivers with “easier” and “more flexible ways” to pay for parking and avoid fines.

“The gazetted penalty unit was increased by 7.7 per cent for the 2023-24 financial year by the Queensland government,” Cr Tate said.

“To ease congestion on local roads, attract more customers into commercial precincts, and to ensure disability parking bays are available to those with accessibility needs, the City is providing motorists with easier, more flexible ways to pay for parking and avoid fines.

“There are thousands of free, timed and paid parking spaces around the Gold Coast, including more than 5400 free beachfront parking spaces along Surfers Paradise, Broadbeach, Burleigh and Currumbin to name a few.”

More than 1000 motorists have already been slugged with fines at the new rates, with council revealing that 604 parking fines were issued by city officers on the day they came into effect and a further 559 on Sunday.

Penalty units are also used by council to determine fines in areas including animal management and environmental health compliance, however parking offences make up the overwhelming majority of infringement notices issued. Of 133,461 notices issued in the 2021-22 financial year, 131,731 were for parking offences.

MONSTER FINE FOR PARKING AT MARATHON

A woman taking her seven-year-old son to run in the 2km Junior Dash at the Gold Coast Marathon has become one of the first to be slugged with higher council parking fines.

Janna Azzi was fined $309 on Saturday July 1 for “bringing a motor vehicle onto a park or reserve” after parking on grass at Carey Park in Southport.

Prior to parking fines rising 7.7 per cent on Saturday – the first day of the new financial year – the cost was $287.

“We arrived at the council car park near Australia Fair to no parking controllers or anyone showing people where they can or can’t park,” Ms Azzi said.

“We followed a dozen cars in front of us and parked on a grassed area within the car park which wasn’t cordoned off. We went to the meter and paid $7 for three hours of parking. Upon coming back we found a $300 ticket on our dashboard.”

Janna Azzi with husband Danny and 7-year-old son Daniel, who raised $1000 running in the 2km Junior Dash at the Gold Coast Marathon on Saturday.

Ms Azzi, who was one of 157 motorists hit with parking fines in Southport on Saturday, said council’s actions were a “low blow”, which ruined an otherwise “beautiful experience” in which her son raised $1000 for charity.

“The marathon was a huge event for the people of the Gold Coast, a lot of whom are doing it really tough,” Ms Azzi said.

“It was about supporting the community and charities that are desperate for funding as donations dry up due to rising cost of living.

“Instead of encouraging people to come out and providing a parking free day, the council saw this as an opportunity to sting people with $300 fines for illegal parking.

“ … I think those fines should be waived they are excessive and in the current economic situations will take families months to pay off.”

A council spokesperson told the Bulletin the local authority had worked with marathon organisers to address parking issues.

“The City works with the event organiser prior to the event to remind event goers about parking limitations,” the spokesperson said.

“No additional parking inspectors were scheduled in the City or rostered on to the Southport area during the marathon weekend.

“Due to the large volume of people in the area additional pressure was put on parking which may have contributed to (the) number of infringements.”

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