Debate rages over Gold Coast parking rules after Pacific Pines man slams nature strip fine
Images have emerged on social media of a council-branded vehicle which appeared to break the same parking rule residents were fined for.
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Gold Coast City Council has been accused of double standards as debate continues to rage over a controversial parking rule.
Several Pacific Pines residents were slapped with a $110 fine last month for parking on their nature strips - which many did not realise was illegal.
But images have since emerged on social media of a council-branded vehicle which appeared to break the same parking rule others were fined for.
One of the disgruntled residents who copped a ticket shared images of the council car parked on grass in front of homes on Galapagos Way.
“Council have been on a revenue raising spree last week down our street, bet they didn’t fine their own parked out the front of their place,” the resident said on Facebook.
A council spokeswoman told the Bulletin: “The city does not condone illegal parking by any of our staff and we will be investigating the matter.”
On its website, the council outlines the rules about parking on nature strips under the Transport Operations Regulation 2009 - and encourages the community to report incidents.
“You must not stop or park your vehicle on a footpath, shared path, bicycle path, dividing strip or nature strip,” it states.
At least two Pacific Pines residents have vowed to dispute their fines.
‘Power-hungry revenue raising’: Debate rages over parking rules - April 1
Strict parking enforcement on the Gold Coast has sparked a lively debate after a Pacific Pines man complained about being fined for parking a car on a nature strip in front of his neighbour’s house.
On its website, Gold Coast City Council outlines the rules about parking on nature strips under the Transport Operations Regulation 2009 - and encourages the community to report incidents.
“You must not stop or park your vehicle on a footpath, shared path, bicycle path, dividing strip or nature strip,” the council states.
But Mario Agius, who copped the $110 ticket, said “streets are a lot narrower and there are no places for people to park”.
Earlier this month, it was revealed the council racked up at least $9.4 million from issuing almost 120,000 parking fines in the last financial year.
While some commenters backed Mr Agius on this publication’s website and social media, others were less sympathetic.
GOLD COAST PARKING CHANGES: NEW LIMITS, FEES
“It’s called a Nature Strip for a reason, it is not a parking strip. And the rules and regulations are also there for a reason,” a woman said.
“He is definitely in the wrong and as others have suggested, maybe he should get rid of some of his ‘few cars’ if he hasn’t got room to park them on his own property.”
Another woman raised the perceived poor design of some streets, with commenters describing them as quite narrow.
“Technically he was in the wrong but the streets in that area are very badly designed - extremely narrow, making it hard to have a two-way flow of traffic if even one car is parked on it. Also, no pavements for pedestrians either,” she said.
“If council allowed the roads to be built like that they need to be aware of the limited parking opportunities available. This man is a resident so he should have some options but he says he has several cars - that could be the problem.”
PLANS TO SHRINK CAR PARKS IN BURLEIGH HEADS, VARSITY LAKES
Some who weighed in noted they have to maintain nature strips, despite being disallowed from parking on them.
“Councils fining homeowners for parking on their nature strip, but they expect us to mow and maintain their property,” a woman said.
A man shared his son’s parking dilemma: My son who is 22 and juggling studying and working as a coach for young kids was fined $110 for parking on the grass at his partner’s house. Why? Because there is nowhere else to park.”
“Suburban streets are packed with cars. Damage by offenders is rampant in the southern Gold Coast areas, so trying to park a vehicle to keep it safe is a must.
“He can’t afford this fine, I can’t afford to help him pay for it. So this potentially can impact him greatly in a negative way. And for what? Revenue? Absolutely poor behaviour from the council.”
Another man said nature strips were “effectively public land” and “you can’t park a vehicle in such a way as it blocks egress along the nature strip”.
“His neighbour had no right to convey parking permits. That’s the council’s job,” he said.
“Aside from this, what’s wrong with parking in your own driveway? I’ve seen this in many suburbs across the Gold Coast - perplexingly empty driveways while the roadway is effectively blocked by vehicles parallel parked.
“If there was some by-law prohibiting parking in your own driveway I could understand. “Failing this, why can’t cars get off the road and into their owner’s driveways or garages?”
Another man had a spray at the council for their enforcement practices.
“If the council want control of the front of your property then they need to be responsible for it and they can come out and mow it and do all the upkeep. It’s a f—kin joke what the council think they can get away with,” he raged.
“I’ve had the council try to give my registered and legally parked car tickets many times. “They are power hungry and revenue raising, and it needs to stop.”
A council spokeswoman stated city parking officers responded to a complaint about illegal parking in Papara St, Pacific Pines – and that more than one vehicle was ticketed.
‘People aren’t stupid’: Gold Coast man slams parking rule
March 31: A Pacific Pines resident has slammed the Gold Coast City Council after he was slapped with a fine for parking on a neighbour’s nature strip.
Mario Agius has vowed to fight the $110 parking ticket issued earlier this month for the offence of “stopping a vehicle on a footpath or nature strip in a built-up area”.
He has called on council to abolish the local law, saying he was given permission to park on the grass in front of his neighbour’s house “to avoid accidents”.
“I personally think I’m being victimised. I think someone has dobbed me in because I have a few cars,” Mr Agius said.
The Pacific Pines man said he had never been fined for parking on the nature strip in the five years he had lived there.
“The streets are a lot narrower and there are no places for people to park,” Mr Agius said.
“I park my car there because I don’t want to park it on the road because it’s not safe.
“If you have two cars parked on opposite sides of the road, there’s no way a car would get through.
“It is a residential area on a steep hill and it’s not an actual path that people use.”
A council spokeswoman said parking on nature strips was not allowed under the Transport Operations Regulation 2009.
“City parking responded to a complaint regarding illegal parking in Papara St, Pacific Pines, and took enforcement action against more than one vehicle,” she said.
Mr Agius said the local law was outdated and didn’t take into account parking needs across different Gold Coast suburbs.
“I would understand if this was Surfers Paradise or Southport and someone parked on the nature strip,” he said.
“This is a residential area where it is not affecting anyone.
“We need some commonsense - people aren’t stupid.”
Revealed: Where you are most at risk of a parking fine
March 24: Council made at least $9.4 million from issuing almost 120,000 parking fines in the last financial year.
Figures revealed to the Bulletin show that despite Covid-19 restrictions, 117,916 parking penalty infringement notices were issued in the 12 months to the end of June 2021.
The minimum fine amount during this period was $80.
One in three of the fines issued was at Surfers Paradise, where motorists were slugged with penalties on 39,875 occasions.
The next highest number was at Burleigh Heads, where 23,542 fines were issued, followed closely by Southport with 23,442.
However some suburbs saw hardly any fines issued, with ten or less parking infringement notices dished out in Merrimac, Maudsland, Elanora and Tallebudgera.
At Helensvale, where residents reacted angrily last week after councillor William Owen-Jones warned people risked fines for parking on a footpath beside the local aquatic centre, just 27 fines were issued in the 2020/21 financial year.
The cost of paying a parking ticket raised on March 1, with a general parking fine now $92. The fine for parking on a yellow line has risen to $172, while parking on a footpath could set you back $275.
Ally Hundy from Rathdowney said she would be “cautious” about visiting the Gold Coast again after being issued with a parking fine in January.
Ms Hundy copped the fine after parking on Connor St in Burleigh.
“We were down there because it was school holidays and we went and saw my stepson who was working just around the corner,” Ms Hundy said.
“It’ll make us cautious about coming back.”
Ms Hundy’s bank records showed she made two payments to council, at 11.45am and 12.41pm. However the fine was issued at 12.13pm and council said it only had a record of the second payment.
“If we hadn’t paid for the parking I’d accept it,” Ms Hundy said.
“However I have black and white documentation from my bank saying it was paid.”
Ms Hundy appealed the fine with council, but was rebuffed. However the fine was eventually waived after she went to her local councillor, who she said reached out to the Mayor’s office, and it was established an error had been made regarding the number plate registered to the first payment.
“With the supporting documentation I had, I’m not surprised, but it was an unnecessary waste of everyone’s time,” Ms Hundy said.
“My suggestion to council would be provide a receipt so payment can be visible.”
Ms Hundy is not the only one to have successfully appealed a parking fine with council.
Of the 117,916 fines issued in the 2020/21 financial year, 13,675 were appealed. Those appeals were successful in 8541 cases – or 62 per cent of cases.
TOP 10 SUBURBS FOR PARKING FINES
1. Surfers Paradise: 39,875
2. Burleigh Heads: 23,542
3. Southport: 23,442
4. Broadbeach: 18,731
5. Palm Beach: 1692
6. Main Beach: 1459
7. Mermaid Beach: 1393
8. Bundall: 1161
9. Varsity Lakes: 964
10. Robina: 883
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