How the government’s thirst for fines is driving Queenslanders to the brink
By Zach Hope
Queensland’s peak body for community services is warning that the state government’s appetite for traffic fines is driving already impoverished families to the brink.
The state has some of the most severe penalties in the nation – including $1161 for not wearing a seatbelt or for handling a mobile phone – and is increasingly deploying its debt collectors to claw the money out.
While this driver is wearing their seatbelt correctly in this image, the phone should not be touching any part of their body.
As revealed by Brisbane Times last week, the State Penalties Enforcement Register (SPER) hauled in almost $400 million from Queensland debtors over the last financial year.
Treasurer Cameron Dick on Saturday triumphantly declared it to be a record, bettering last year’s efforts by more than $100 million. He framed it as easing the cost-of-living crisis because the money would go back into “buildings that Queenslanders need, and the services that Queenslanders deserve.”
But Aimee McVeigh, chief executive of the Queensland Council of Social Services, said the fines and debt collection methods were disproportionately affecting the most vulnerable families.
“Our financial counsellors are absolutely seeing an increase in Queenslanders seeking help with SPER debts,” she said.
“We know that six out of seven low-income households that we modelled had absolutely no capacity to save or pay.
“Even families who are working and on the minimum wage are in the red just meeting the basic cost of living. So, having a $1000 fine is a massive blow for many people.”
Dick’s press release also applauded SPER for seizing of 360 vehicles, including “a Mustang, Porsche Cayenne, hi-spec utes and even a Harley-Davidson”.
It did not disclose the proportion of clunkers.
Queensland treasurer Cameron Dick has congratulated SPER for its record performance.Credit: Matt Dennien
The hefty seatbelt and mobile phone fines were progressively staged up after the introduction of high-tech cameras in November 2021.
Right to Information laws showed debts from these camera-detected offences accounted for 27 per cent of all debt on SPER’s books by the end of last year.
The government has also beefed up the debt collector’s powers: SPER now receives unpaid fines after 35 days instead of 56, and is allowed to raid bank accounts and wages to get it.
“The government should be looking creatively at how we can balance the really important public policy objectives of keeping our roads safe while ensuring that we’re not putting overly punitive pressure on people with low incomes,” McVeigh said.
Dick was asked by reporters on Saturday if cost of living pressures had caused people to skip-out on their fines.
“No, I think people in Queensland are very fair,” he responded. “We also are a community where people do the right thing. It doesn’t matter your circumstances – if you break the law, you have to pay the price for breaking the law.”
Debts with SPER include traffic fines, toll fines and payments intended for victims of crime.
While Dick talked of using the recouped money for “buildings” and services, Queensland rules required all money collected from camera-detected offences to be reinvested into road safety.
He encouraged people hard up for cash to speak with SPER agents to work out a payment plan.