9News has spoken to a number of individuals who have been in a position to decisively show they’re harmless, elevating questions concerning the legitimacy of infringement notices and the motivations of parking inspectors.
Emma Hodgkinson from Essendon was fined for supposedly overstaying in a two-hour zone.
“I used to be livid, it is simply not OK” she instructed 9News.
Hodgkinson is offended as a result of she had solely left her home 40 minutes earlier than the time stamp on the high-quality.
Fortuitously, she had CCTV from her residence to again that up.
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“Once I noticed the timecode on the footage and I in contrast it to the time on the ticket I realised I hadn’t finished something improper and it was their mistake,” she stated.
Many different drivers have had comparable experiences.
Earlier this month in Richmond, a person acquired a $99 penalty regardless of having near an hour remaining on his Pay Keep app.
One other driver was fined by Stonnington Council for parking longer than two hours despite the fact that he’d solely been there for about 20 minutes.
In most of those examples, together with Hodgkinson’s, many different automobiles within the space had additionally been fined.
“I used to be in a position to show I used to be harmless however how are [the other drivers] going to have the ability to show that?” she stated.
Dean Hurlston from Council Watch says the rationale harmless drivers are being fined is as a result of council parking inspectors should hit quotas.
“We all know the job of a parking inspector is nicely paid for good purpose,” he instructed 9News.
“They positively have quotas. Councils want cash, they’re money strapped. It is a approach to gouge and lift income.”
The onus is at all times on the driving force to show their innocence and it isn’t typically appeals are granted.
Should you’ve been unfairly fined, it is essential to gather as a lot proof as doable from the time of the penalty, together with pictures and screenshots.
