Local Government New South Wales (LGNSW) has responded to legislative reforms proposed by the State Government that would force councils to issue on-the-spot, in-person notices for parking penalties.
LGNSW President Darriea Turley said that any legislative reform could have wide-ranging implications for councils and, if not drafted appropriately, could run the risk of worsening the safety and logistical consequences for councils and their staff.
Cr Turley said that it was extremely disappointing that LGNSW – the state’s peak body for local government – had not been consulted on the draft legislation before the announcement, despite having engaged with the government and the sector on the issue for some time.
“Our greatest concern is the very real risk to the safety and wellbeing of compliance officers. This decision will put rangers right back in harm’s way,” Cr Turley said.
“Councils’ primary responsibility remains the safety and wellbeing of their staff. One of the main reasons many councils introduced ticketless fines was to reduce the incidence of verbal and physical abuse of employees.
“Councils that adopted ticketless enforcement and vehicle-mounted camera technology have reported a reduction in these incidents as a result.”
Cr Turley said that another concern was councils’ significant investment in new technology to issue infringements.
“Many hundreds of thousands of dollars have been invested by councils across New South Wales on technology, cars, cameras and software.
“With ongoing cost-shifting and the current financial climate affecting councils’ ability to provide the services and facilities their communities deserve, these parking reforms would significantly impact council budgets.”
Cr Turley said that there was an element of double standards when the New South Wales Government continued to issue ticketless fines for its own safety initiatives.
“The New South Wales Government has more than 500 cameras enforcing road rules with fines of a higher value and involving a loss of demerit points. And they’ve happily overseen cameras that look inside your car to see if you’re using a phone or wearing a seatbelt, of course without warning.
“It was only a few weeks ago that the State Government announced its own expansion of ticketless speeding fines with the roll out of point-to-point cameras.
“While we acknowledge the Minister has had conversations with LGNSW and with the sector, I’m disappointed that as yet we’ve been unable to review a copy of the draft Bill prior to its introduction to parliament, particularly when councils can’t compromise on staff safety and don’t have money to spare for less efficient ways of working.”
Cr Turley said that the sector supported workable options, but strongly opposed legislative changes that would increase safety risks and costs to communities.
“We look forward to reviewing the draft Bill and working with the government through the parliamentary process to represent our members.”
Image: Dr David Sing/shutterstock.com
