Darwin council promises no parking fee rise despite $1mil COVID-19 revenu shortfall

DESPITE a $1 million carparking revenue deficit, Darwin Lord Mayor Kon Vatskalis has promised motorists parking fees will not increase this financial year to recoup the loss

Darwin Lord Mayor Kon Vatskalis said he won’t be raising parking fees to make up for a $1.02 million deficit. Picture: Keri Megelus

DESPITE a $1 million carparking revenue deficit, Darwin Lord Mayor Kon Vatskalis has promised motorists parking fees will not increase this financial year to recoup the loss.

With $3.48 million in carparking revenue raised in the 19/20 financial year, council missed out on $1.02 million after waiving on-street parking fees from March 18 to June 30 and off-street parking from April 14 to June 30.

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Council raised $4.5 million in the 2018/2019 financial year.

But Mr Vatskalis said council wasn’t concerned about the lack of income generated and council needed to look after its ratepayers and businesses.

“Sometimes you have to do these things, the community was suffering and is still suffering,” he said.

“For us to demand people to pay for carparking when they also have to pay rent or bills, it’s a bit extravagant so we decided to reduce the fees to bring people to the city.

“It’s not only business that will close, it’s people losing jobs, income and they may leave so we may lose our population.”

He indicated council would sooner reinstate free parking or restart up its voucher scheme, which was funded from $350,000 of council’s parking revenue generated earlier this year, than raise fees to make up for the lost $1.02 million.

“We will monitor the situation,” he said.

“Now we’re going back to normal so people will pay for it but if we need to help people, we will.

“The council is in a very good financial situation. Believe it our not we haven’t touched our reserves at all, we have had very good economic management of council.”

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Council’s fee waiver meant it made just $56,465, all from off-street parking in the final quarter of the year, with that sum generated in 14 days, before off-street fees were also waived.

Council issued 2068 infringements in the final quarter of the year, which was a decrease of 1788 on the previous year’s quarter.