Jenna Schroeder cops parking fine after two-minute stop to promote charity day

This prominent Gold Coast community worker stopped briefly to take a photo of a charity event. Little did she know it would cost her almost $250. Here’s why.

Gold Coast community advocate Jenna Schroeder is calling for a review of the City’s AI-backed Park Safe vehicles after being fined for parking following a charity event.

Ms Schroeder had briefly parked her vehicle in a tourist coach spot to enable her to take a photograph of the Q1 building in Surfers Paradise, which was lit up for World Suicide Prevention Day.

She had just finished co-ordinating the event, which was part of Gold Coast Wellbeing week, aimed to raise awareness of mental health and suicide prevention.

But her appeal to Gold Coast City Council was lost and she has since paid the $241 parking fine issued on September 10.

“I was out of the car for less than two minutes, in the photo the AI system captured you can see me standing there taking a photo of the Q1. You can even see my car lights are on,” Ms

Schroeder said.

Gold Coast community advocate Jenna Schroeder taking a photograph of the Q1 lit up for World Suicide Prevention Day. She was fined for parking her car at this spot.

“If a parking officer had been present, they would have seen the context and likely exercised discretion. Instead, the fine was issued by a machine without any consideration of the situation.”

The City in a response to Ms Schroeder said council’s officer advises that the area was clearly signed “Bus zone tourist coaches only 10 minute maximum”.

“A vehicle is not permitted to stop in a bus zone under any circumstances unless the vehicle is a bus. The responsibility is on the driver of the vehicle to be aware and update their knowledge on the Australian Road Rules and park in a legal position at all times,” a council officer wrote.

Q1 on the Gold Coast lit up for World Suicide Prevention Day. The photograph was taken by community advocate Jenna Schroeder.

Ms Schroeder acknowledges the City uses Park Safe vehicles equipped with licence plate recognition technology to monitor parking compliance in a bid to improve parking management.

But she says it “removes the human lens and empathy traditionally applied by parking officers”.

She believes the reliance on AI technology in this context raises broader concerns

about the lack of flexibility and understanding in automated systems.

Community advocate Jenna Schroeder (far right) joining activities on World Suicide Prevention Day.

“These fines are reviewed later by a human, but they’re only looking at the data captured by the AI. There’s no real opportunity to explain the circumstances or for common sense to prevail,” she said.

“AI can’t replace empathy. I had just come from an emotional suicide prevention event and

wanted to capture the impact the Gold Coast Suicide Prevention Collaborative. AI can’t see the bigger picture.

“I understand the need for parking regulations, but there must be room for discretion and a fair appeals process. Right now, it feels like residents are up against an unthinking machine.”

A City spokesperson said council had introduced licence plate recognition technology to monitor compliance with parking regulations.

“The technology is used by City parking officers in patrolling vehicles to detect potential breaches, and images are later checked to verify that an offence has occurred. City officers also manage the appeal process,” the spokesperson said.

“The City offers a combination of free, paid and timed parking spaces and at 6:30pm, most on street car parks are free and untimed.

“The appeal was unsuccessful in this case as the image showed that the vehicle was parked in an area it was not permitted.”

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