The Victorian government is refusing to waive COVID-19 fines for thousands of teenagers, many from disadvantaged backgrounds.
The COVID-19 Fines Community Lawyer Working Group, a coalition of 10 community legal centres, estimates at least 2000 children aged 14 to 17 have been fined in Victoria for coronavirus breaches during the pandemic.
In state parliament on Tuesday, Greens MP Tim Read asked Attorney-General Jill Hennessy if the fines would be renounced.
"The government has no intention of withdrawing fines that have been lawfully imposed," Ms Hennessy said.
Mr Read pointed out the peanlties, which range from $200 up to $5000, are in many cases above the maximum that can be imposed by the Children's Court.
Many of the young Victorians dealt fines come from disadvantaged backgrounds and subsequently face disproportionate financial impacts, he added.
"Children from low-income families have been disproportionately hit by COVID-related fines and these large unpaid fines are now threatening their future," Mr Read said in a statement.
"It's disappointing to hear the government say it has no intention of waiving the fines given to people under 18, given so many young people have no realistic prospects of paying them.
"We need to protect young people from entering the criminal justice system, not push them towards it."
Asked how the government planned to protect children from the fallout of paying fines, Ms Hennessy listed a range of initiatives.
"A minute would not give me enough time to talk about the reform and investment that this government is making around early intervention and changing the lives of young people," she said.
"From the work and the investment that's being done in the education sector to things like the intervention that is occurring in places like the Children's Court."
