Traders spark drive for fines

Andrew Mathieson
A push for extra shoppers has prompted plans for more parking fines in central Geelong this year, according to City Hall.
City local laws general manager Gen Hindman said council would increase “effective patrols” to raise an extra $570,000 in fines revenue.
The extra cash would give the City total fines revenue of $4.37 million this financial year.
Ms Hindman said traders were behind the change in patrols.
“Traders have been ringing us because they need the cars turning over so people are coming in doing their spending and then leaving,” she said.
The Independent revealed last month that the City was anticipating the largest annual increase in parking fines among Victoria’s 79 councils.
Ms Hindman said last year’s haul of $3.8 million was “a bit of an aberration” because development work around the city area had reduced car parks and subsequent fines revenue.
Annual parking fine revenue slumped after officers issued 1053 fewer infringement notices last year.
Ms Hindman said the City lost money because the development work meant officers were unable to enforce fines in a “lot of areas”, such as around Geelong’s Edgewater and TAC sites as well as at Barwon Heads.
Increased traffic at Bellarine Peninsula hotspots like Ocean Grove had also led to the City shifting patrols away from central Geelong.
City by-laws officers would have to issue an extra 27 fines a day to achieve council’s revenue target.
The City’s new ticket-issuing parking machines would also help increase revenue through improved fee collection rather than additional fines, she said.
Each machine was worth $7600 installed, costing ratepayers more than $1.38 million since the City began rolling them out three years ago.
Ms Hindman said the City had “retrieved income” through the sale of old parking machines to smaller councils.