Treasurer
Curtis Pitt threatens to clamp wheels and tow cars on the Gold Coast.............
Lea Emery, Gold Coast Bulletin - June 8, 2016
GOLD Coasters will have
their cars wheel clamped and towed if they continue to fail to pay the region’s
skyrocketing fine debt.
The State
Government announced the harsh measure could start on the Gold Coast any day,
targeting those with State Penalties Enforcement Registry debt over $5000.
At the moment more
than 73,500 Gold Coasters share in a more than $120.7 million debt owed to
State Government.
Treasurer Curtis
Pitt is now warning those on the Gold Coast with fines of more than $5000 they
could be next to have their wheels clamped wherever their car is parked,
including at their home.
Those who fail to
pay after receiving a warning will have their wheels clamped. If they do not
pay within five days, their car will be towed and then sold to repay their
debts.
Those targeted
under the wheel-clamping scheme have racked up the debts mostly through tolls,
speeding and parking offences.
Those with SPER
debts already lose their driver’s licence if they fail to pay or arrange a
repayment plan.
The move began in
Brisbane in late May and already more than $62,000 in fines have been repaid
after SPER officers targeted fine evaders in 12 Brisbane suburbs.
No cars have been
towed under the scheme so far.
“Wheel clamping is
aimed squarely at stopping repeat offenders getting away with non-payment,” Mr
Pitt said.
He said those
experiencing acute financial hardship would not be targeted under the
fine-recouping scheme.
Bond University
criminologist Terry Goldsworthy said the project could be discriminatory
towards single people without children as they would have more trouble proving
a financial hardship.
He said he thought
there were better alternatives.
“Why don’t they
arrange it so that when you start earning money it comes out automatically,” he
said. “We can do that for child maintenance and tax debts so why not SPER?”
Mr Goldsworthy said
there was also concern a family car may be clamped because of the registered
owner’s debt.
RACQ spokeswoman
Renee Smith said they were supportive of the move.
“While this is a
tough measure, it’s obvious other measures haven’t worked.”
The Southport
postcode of 4215 is the worst on the Gold Coast with $15.7 million in unpaid
fines.
Top five worst suburbs
4215: Southport,
Labrador
$15,774,000 owed
9294 people with
debts
4211: Carrara,
Pacific Pines and Gaven
$14,459,000 owed
7890 people with
debts
4209: Coomera,
Pimpama
$12,932,000 owed
6723 people with
debts
4217: Bundall,
Chevron Island
$12,060,000 owed
8142, people with
debts
4214: Ashmore,
Molendinar, Parkwood
$8,208,000 owed
4721 people with
debts
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