Woman caught in Brisbane deluge slapped with parking fine

A BRISBANE woman has been slapped with a $91 fine after abandoning her car to seek refuge from Cyclone Debbie’s wrath.

A BRISBANE woman has been slapped with a parking fine after leaving her car to seek refuge from the wild weather.

Sophie Jane was outraged to return to receive a $91 infringement notice for failing to pay for parking in Fortitude Valley last Thursday, after she was stranded amid the downpour that trapped inner-city workers in their offices while Cyclone Debbie wreaked havoc across the state.

“On a day where Queenslanders have been told to put their safety at number one priority — where the premier has announced for public transport to be free, and businesses to close so people can get home, stay in doors and be safe — Brisbane City Council and their parking inspectors are still out giving parking fines,” Ms Jane wrote on the council’s Facebook page.

“To say I am appalled, shocked and absolutely astounded is an understatement.”

Sophie Jane was “appalled” to receive a parking fine during last week’s deluge.

The young worker said she had driven through “extremely heavy” rain to her work and, heading the warnings of authorities, “I parked as close as I could to my office” and “struggled to get out of my car on a busy road while the rain was pouring down”.

Running into the office drenched from the rain, she said, “I did not have time to think about paying for my parking; I was only concerned about my safety.”

“The rain got heavier and I was stuck under cover until it had subsided. Forty minutes later I returned to my car, still wet and in the rain to find that Brisbane City Council had given me a fine,” she wrote, querying the council’s priorities.

“Do you not care about the safety of others and the safety of your staff to have people out giving fines on today the day where Brisbane has pretty much been evacuated? Do you need to raise money that bad that you are preying on people who are doing their best in a state of emergency and listening to the governments warnings?”

Ms Jane’s parking fine. Picture: Facebook

The council’s social media representative advised Ms Jane to appeal the fine, but she remained unimpressed.

Facebook users were divided on whether the council had done the right thing.

“She shouldn’t have to dispute it,” wrote Anne-Maree Torrie. “It’s common sense to just waiver it given the circumstances.”

Norm Masters agreed, saying: “The parking leaches never rest, they lack any common sense — they are a breed of their own.”

But Michael Wilson was less sympathetic, arguing that Ms Jane had parked illegally and should cop it.

“It is sign posted that you have to pay for the spot, which you knew was a pay spot at your work as you work there everyday,” he wrote.

“You were not sick, you were not in life threatening situation when it happened ... Why go to work in the first place if it was such a danger to do so?”

A Brisbane City Council spokesman told Fairfax Media that Ms Jane’s car had been parked illegally and was “contributing to congestion”.

“Residents who are concerned they have been unfairly fined at any time can make use of council’s three-stage appeals process,” the spokesman said.

News.com.au has sought further comment from the council.

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