Interstate neo-Nazis dodge Sydney Australia Day rally fines
Neo-Nazi protesters who wreaked havoc during Sydney's Australia Day celebrations last year have thumbed their noses at NSW authorities, with interstate offenders refusing to pay their fines.
Interstate neo-Nazis who were fined by police after travelling to Sydney to attend an Australia Day rally last year have evaded NSW authorities and defiantly refused to pay.
Dozens of balaclava-clad members of the National Socialist Network who were slapped with fines after being intercepted by police as they travelled on public transport into Sydney CBD for a rally on Australia Day last year have still not paid their fines more than 20 months later.
At the time police fined 63 men involved in the gathering for multiple offences, including 60 fines for ‘wilfully interfering with the comfort and safety of others’, which holds a maximum penalty of $1,100. The majority of those fined were from other states, with the most coming from Victoria.
Many of the fines were handed out for bad behaviour on the train network as the masked group travelled from Artarmon before being stopped by police at North Sydney station as they attempted to reach the CBD.
Other fines were also handed out for travelling without a valid ticket, putting feet on the seats and behaving in an offensive manner in a public passenger vehicle.
The Daily Telegraph can reveal that of the 37 fines given to interstate residents, only seven have been resolved. In comparison, 26 fines were given to NSW residents with 21 resolved.
The failure of NSW authorities to enforce the fines comes despite Premier Chris Minns at the time vowing to “unmask” the offenders, some of whom carried banners with references to a neo-Nazi group and another with the words ‘Australia for the white man’ emblazoned on it. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese at the time said he was “horrified” by the spectacle adding the group was “rightly being condemned by all decent people”.
At the time the fines were handed out, some group members, who mostly came from Victoria vowed not to pay.
A Revenue NSW spokesperson said there were only two options to reclaim unpaid fines from interstate offenders. They can remove permission for that person to drive in NSW or can make a Garnishee order to remove money from wages only if they carry on business in NSW.
“Revenue NSW remains firmly committed to holding offenders accountable and is actively deploying all available legal mechanisms to recover unpaid fines,” the spokesperson said.
In response to questions from this masthead, Finance Minister Courtney Houssos said she would seek assurances from Revenue NSW that they are “actively deploying every available legal mechanism to recover these fines”.
“In addition, I will write to my interstate counterparts to explore further enforcement options,” she said.
“Paying fines is not optional, regardless of where you live. Everyone is accountable.”
Opposition Police spokesman Paul Toole said it raised the question as to how many other types of fines interstate offenders were avoiding.
“It is outrageous that these neo-Nazis can come into NSW, spread this hate, break the law and then skip back across the border without paying a cent for their offences,” he said.
“The question is what other fines like speeding or parking are those from other states completely getting away with.”
Originally published as Interstate neo-Nazis dodge Sydney Australia Day rally fines
