New crackdown for Victorians evading Covid fines

Premier Daniel Andrews says people with unpaid Covid fines should pay up “if you don’t want the sheriff knocking on your door”.

Thousands of unpaid fines issued for breaches of coronavirus restrictions will be pursued until they are recovered, Premier Daniel Andrews has warned.

It comes after the Herald Sun revealed tens of thousands of Victorians were facing sanctions because they had not paid up, with $54.8m owing.

When asked about the massive number of unpaid infringements, Mr Andrews said he expected the sheriff to chase down all of them.

“Police already exercise significant discretion in the issuing of fines,” he said.

“There are many more warnings that have been issued than fines.”

Mr Andrews said police had to enforce fines for serious breaches and when there were risks to the community.

“If you’ve done the wrong thing and you’ve been not warned but fined, then you need to pay the fine.

“If you don’t want the sheriff knocking on your door as is fair.”

The state government is chasing $54.8m worth of unpaid infringements issued since the start of the pandemic.

Enforcement action, including the seizure of property, is now being considered to recoup the value of more than 24,500 outstanding fines, adding further strain on Victoria’s clogged court system.

It comes as a peak legal body called on the Victorian government to review unpaid Covid fines and waive those for people in financial stress.

Documents released to the Herald Sun under Freedom of Information laws show less than 9 per cent of Covid fines dished out across the state have been paid.

Only 3289 of 38,948 Covid infringements totalling $60.5m were fully paid as of June 14, the data shows.

Fines Victoria said 65 per cent of Covid fines had reached the “notice of final demand” stage, meaning enforcement warrants could be applied for in the courts to enable sheriffs to go after people and strip them of assets. Sheriffs also have the power to impound vehicles, remove registration plates and arrest those who cannot repay their debts.

A protester is issued with a fine. Picture: Jake Nowakowski

Liberty Victoria president Julia Kretzenbacher urged the Victorian government to review the outstanding Covid fines and waive those issued to people in financial hardship.

“We are concerned by the Victorian government’s heavy reliance on law and order measures, including policing and issuing fines, in its Covid response,” Ms Kretzenbacher said. “People in lower socio-economic areas have been found to be twice as likely to be fined as those in areas with a higher income.

“Throughout the pandemic, many Victorians have lost work and income, particularly people in casual or insecure work. A person relying on income from Centrelink could be forced to spend months or years trying to pay a $1600 fine. In some circumstances, a person can be imprisoned if they do not pay fines.”

However a Department of Justice and Community Safety spokeswoman said infringements will continue to play a critical role in responding to blatant and deliberate breaches of Covid restrictions.

“Fines do not expire – and all fine debt will continue to be collected and enforced,” she said.

Liberty Victoria also called on Victoria Police to issue cautions rather than infringements for future breaches of the chief health officer’s directions.

Anyone who hasn’t paid their fine is now facing serious sanctions.

“Not only would this have a significant impact on these people’s lives, it would also benefit our justice system more broadly,” Ms Kretzenbacher said. “Pursuing people over unpaid fines consumes vast amounts of time and money in the courts and for Victoria Legal Aid and community legal centres, which are already struggling to meet community demand.”

More than $21,000 in fines were dished out to partygoers in two separate incidents in Warrnambool on Friday night.

Ten people were hit with $1817 fines from one party, while two at a separate gathering were also penalised with local police saying most offenders were in their late teens.