An official end to ticketless parking fines in New South Wales is nigh, months after the government first announced plans to roll back the controversial fining system.
ICYMI, drivers in some councils have been issued parking fines via mail — in lieu of on-the-spot, physical notices — since 2020, when the then-Coalition state government introduced a ticketless system.
During that time, NSW councils collected tens of millions of dollars in extra revenue as a result of the ticketless systems, according to the ABC.
Flash-forward to last year and the current Labor premier, Chris Minns, passed legislation to outlaw ticketless fines, citing a lack of an immediate deterrent for drivers as the main reason for unwinding the previous government’s system.
Minns’ amended legislation was shared in a press statement in November, and touted an end to ticketless fines to “restore fairness and transparency to the parking fine system”.
However, as some of you might’ve been unlucky enough to notice (and pay for), some councils have still been issuing ticketless fines since that November announcement — but that won’t be the case for much longer.
According to the ABC, the government’s move to ban ticketless fines will officially come into effect on July 1.
This means you’ll once again know for sure whether you’ve overstayed your parking limit with a traditional on-the-spot paper infringement perched terrifyingly on your windscreen.
While it’s music to the ears of a driver like me, who takes curbs as more of a suggestion, not everyone is thrilled with the months-long period between the government’s announcement and the ban actually coming into effect.
Speaking to the ABC, Sydneysider Jye Smith said he was unknowingly hit with seven parking fines in the more than six months since the amended legislation was actually activated.
“We had no idea that we’d been ticketed, because there were no tickets left on the window,” Smith said.
“I contested one of my fines earlier this year and was told that, even though it was in the media, none of the laws had actually come into effect yet.”
Smith, who claimed his fines totalled over $2,000 during that period, added that he “wouldn’t have parked for another seven weeks” in the infringing spot if he knew the ticketless ban hadn’t come into effect.
Responding to concerns like those, Finance Minister Courtney Houssos told the ABC that the government had taken months to enliven the ban to give councils “what we thought was a reasonable period” to make the necessary changes.
“From the 1st of July, if it’s not done in accordance with the legislation, those parking fines will be invalid,” she said.
“But there’s nothing stopping councils introducing those notifications immediately today.”
So there you have it, folks, starting next month, you needn’t worry about being issued a fine in the mail weeks after a parking offence… you can simply go back to staring at your egregious curbside mishap in the cold light of day.
Lead image: Paramount Pictures and Sergio Dionisio/Getty Images
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