The State Government effectively banned ticketless parking fines this month, passing legislation that will force Councils to issue on-spot notifications on vehicles for most parking offences. But Northern Beaches Council says it will continue with the paperless approach until it is essentially forced to cease doing so by law, citing ranger safety as their chief concern.
It is not yet known what date the new laws will take effect.
The Fines Amendment (Parking Fines) Bill 2024 was passed by the NSW Government after it was found Councils had issued over 270,000 additional ticketless parking fines in 2023/24 than in the previous financial year – a 49 per cent jump.
It was also identified that the scheme caused transparency issues and made it more difficult for motorists to contest their fine.
“The community feedback on this issue has been clear, and dates all the way back to when ticketless parking was first introduced in 2020,” said Finance Minister Courtney Houssos on her involvement in winding back the scheme.
“No one likes getting a parking fine. Finding out about it two weeks later stings even more.
“Bringing back on-the-spot notification for parking fines is a common-sense reform and restores fairness and integrity to the parking fine system.
“I want to thank the councils which have already started issuing on-the-spot notifications again. There is nothing stopping other councils from joining them. It is clearly in the interest of drivers and the community.”
The State Government wrote to 128 Councils in March 2024, urging them to revisit the shortcomings of the new paperless parking fine systems. It was in March 2024 that Northern Beaches Council proceeded with implementing it.
Northern Beaches Council was not part of the original data showing a jump in fines, but data provided to Manly Observer by Council showed an even bigger increase.
From 1 April – 30 September 2024 (Quarter 2 to Quarter 3 of this year, the first period of ticketless parking fines on the Beaches), a reported 25,600 parking fines were issued by Northern Beaches Council. This is a 60 per cent increase from the same period the previous year, which sat at almost 16,000.
However, Council says this jump is simply compliance returning to its pre-COVID figures. And their figures support that claim – in 2019 there were 28,500 fines issued over those two quarters.
Council says it has been taking a targeted hotspot approach, focusing on illegal parking in disability spaces or potentially dangerous situations, such as in school and no-stopping zones.
No more, it’s the law: when will paperless parking fines cease?
Council has said it will comply with the new legislative requirements but only once mandated. They are concerned what the new ruling will mean for their staff’s safety. They claim there has been a decline in Work Health Safety (WHS)-related assaults and abuse being reported on Council staff since ticketless parking methods were introduced. Something anecdotally supported by a ranger we have liaised with confidentially.
Council further shared that over the past three years, there have been 92 reported WHS incidents involving staff from the rangers’ team. Their review of these matters identified 34 of the incidents would have been prevented if a ‘ticketless’ infringement had been issued.
However, the State Government said the new legislation will allow for ticketless parking where the situation is deemed ‘unsafe’ to the ranger.
Although the legislation was passed through state parliament, no dates have been set for the requirements to take effect. Until then, Northern Beaches Council will continue to issue send surprises in the mail.
When requirements do eventually take effect, the bill will provide the following changes to the parking fine distribution methods:
- Requiring councils to attach an on-the-spot notification to the vehicle.
- Requiring councils to take photos of offences and make them available for Revenue NSW to provide to drivers.
- Providing limited exceptions where an on-the-spot notification is not required, for example, where it may be unsafe or hazardous for a ranger to do so.
- Invalidating ‘repeat’ ticketless parking fines, where drivers can be fined multiple times for the same offence before they even become aware of the first infringement.
- Introducing data reporting rules to evaluate if further reforms are necessary.
Why is ticketless parking such a fuss?
One of the main concerns the State Government, as well as Sydney residents, had with ticketless parking was the absence of on-the-spot notifications. Motorists wouldn’t get a notification of the offence until it was delivered to them via the post, sometimes weeks after the fine was originally issued.
This denied people the opportunity to gather their own evidence on the day to appeal the fine at a later date.
NRMA spokesperson Peter Khoury said, “Ticketless parking leaves motorists in the dark and robs them of the chance to contest their fine if they believe they have a legitimate case, the NRMA has been against this approach from day one.”
Below is a list of handy examples of what some of those may be, with special thanks to a ranger we liaised with anonymously.
Helpful Parking Fine and Permit Tips
- Ticketless fines still require evidentiary photos, which can be viewed on the Service NSW website. All photos are time stamped and Geotagged (although the geotagging is hidden in the metadata, not displayed on the print).
- If a ticketless fine is issued for the same offence at the same location within seven days, it should be appealed to Council as there are grounds to argue that the offender was not aware of the offence. In most cases, the second fine will be rescinded.
- There is a common misconception that Manly residents get double the signposted limit for parking. The Northern Beaches ratepayers sticker gives holders four hours instead of two on Manly beachfront ONLY – plus the small section of South Steyne between Wentworth Street and Ashburner. It does not apply to timed parking in the Manly CBD or areas covered by the resident parking scheme.
