The ACT government, like God, moves in mysterious ways.
Without explanation, it has suddenly cancelled speeding fines on a church leader and his colleagues after the priest started a campaign against the penalties.
Father Tony Percy was caught (or not, as it now turns out) doing 47 kilometres per hour down Northbourne Avenue, well within the previous 60 km/hour limit.
The priest who is Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Canberra and Goulburn offered to donate the money to a refuge for homeless women if the ACT government dropped the fine.
And, lo and behold, without any explanation, he got a letter saying the penalty was void "for technical reasons". The penalties for another priest and a colleague were also dropped.
More than 15,000 people were caught after failing to spot that the limit from 60 km/hr to 40 km/hr had been lowered, even though the new limit was signposted.
The fine irritated Father Percy somewhat so he issued the challenge to the ACT Government in the hope of getting some good for others out of the controversy - he called it "speeding to end homelessness".
If the penalty was dropped, he would give the same amount of money to MacKillop House which runs a service for 26 homeless women and their children, many of whom have sought refuge from male violence at home.
The offer - or challenge - was put in a letter which said: "I will, with great pleasure and joy, donate the equivalent of the fine to MacKillop House."
And the fine disappeared, leaving only a mystery.
Was there a glitch in the camera system? If so, many more drivers are likely to find forgiveness from the money gatherers.
Has someone in the ACT government thought better of having a stoush with a publicity-savvy priest?
In the first four days of the new, lower speed limit, the cameras detected an average of 391 infringements a day.
Three motorists received 12 fines each. All told, there were more than 27,000 speeding fines after drivers were caught (or not) by the cameras on parts of Northbourne Avenue, London Circuit and Barry Drive.
According to the ACT government's budget estimates, revenue from traffic fines is expected to be more than $32 million higher this year than previously expected.
