I'm sitting here watching Today Tonight,
as I often do, and have just learned that South Australians pay higher rates of vehicle fines than any other state. Speeding fines, parking fines, any other vehicle related fine, South Australians pay almost double what you other states pay.
I don't recall exactly what fine was being discussed, but the rates were around
$260 in NSW, $230 in Vic and $460 in South Australia.
Seems very unfair to me!
Now I don't drive, so this doesn't affect me, but hundreds of thousands of others do and they're being slugged royally with each notice.
Why?
Why can't these fines be standard across the country?
We Southies are also paying the highest rates for electricity and water, I'm not sure about gas, but it wouldn't surprise me to find those charges are higher too.
Why aren't these charges standard across the country?
Different companies charge different rates, I get that, but each company different again from state to state?
That's just too much.
Petrol here is also higher, again not something that bothers me. But I've heard many, many complaints.
Why are we being penalised for choosing to live in this quiet, peaceful state?
Why aren't the governments doing anything about it? Surely they know.
Maybe they don't, which is entirely possible, since many of them seem to think Australia stops at the western edge of the Blue Mountains, if this is the case, I'll be happy to tell them on my next ballot papers.
When is the next election?
I don't recall exactly what fine was being discussed, but the rates were around
$260 in NSW, $230 in Vic and $460 in South Australia.
Seems very unfair to me!
Now I don't drive, so this doesn't affect me, but hundreds of thousands of others do and they're being slugged royally with each notice.
Why?
Why can't these fines be standard across the country?
We Southies are also paying the highest rates for electricity and water, I'm not sure about gas, but it wouldn't surprise me to find those charges are higher too.
Why aren't these charges standard across the country?
Different companies charge different rates, I get that, but each company different again from state to state?
That's just too much.
Petrol here is also higher, again not something that bothers me. But I've heard many, many complaints.
Why are we being penalised for choosing to live in this quiet, peaceful state?
Why aren't the governments doing anything about it? Surely they know.
Maybe they don't, which is entirely possible, since many of them seem to think Australia stops at the western edge of the Blue Mountains, if this is the case, I'll be happy to tell them on my next ballot papers.
When is the next election?
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Costs vary across this country as well. I have no idea why. Maybe the cost of delivery of services...I don't know. As far as traffic fines...well...people should follow the rules of the road and they won't have to worry about them.
ReplyDeleteAs a West Aussie I too often think those people in the east think they live in a different world to the rest of us. As you can imagine with the extra 1,500 miles between Adelaide and Perth costs over here are herendous on many items. Today on the news one of the solar hot water firms will be closing soon and it will all be done in Sydney. More jobs to be lost in WA. I think we are going back to being the Cinderella state soon if iron ore prices keep falling.
ReplyDeleteI have no idea about traffic fines so can't comment on that but I do know our petrol is rather dear (it jumped from 146.9/litre yesterday to 158.9/litre today which is hard to work out why there would be a jump of 12 cents in 24 hours).
As far as traffic fines are concerned the higher the better as people should obey the law but then they don't pay their fines and then their licences are cancelled and then they drive unlinensed or the gaols are full of people owing money instead of the real crooks. This could go on and on couldn't it? The whole world seems a little out of kilter to me of late whether it be people killing people for no other reason than different religious beliefs etc etc etc. I'll let it go there before I get myself into real trouble. lol
Delores; I agree that people should be following road rules, but in this case the fine was just ridiculous. The woman was fined by the local council for parking in her driveway. They insisted that she was blocking access for emergency vehicles should one be needed. There are many similar cases going on where councils are issuing unnecessary fines, not to mention the police pinging people for speeding when they are coming down from a steep hill or perhaps in an area where the speed limit signs have been changed and no one knows yet.
ReplyDeleteMimsie; I remember now that petrol is indeed higher there than it is here. Some of the fines being issued here are for parking misdemeanors or what the local councils perceive as misdemeanors, not always speeding or reckless driving etc. See my comment to Delores, if you can read it. The font here is very tiny suddenly and I have no idea how to fix it.
There must be a reason the traffic fines are so steep. Can you learn why? Around here, when we see the police lurking for offenders instead of out patrolling, we say they are revenuing.
ReplyDeleteDo you have state government as well as national government? In Canada, we have municipal (local), provincial (by province) and national (federal) levels of government. The three levels operate independently so the rules can be quite different from town to town and province to province.
ReplyDeleteThat woman was fined for parking in her own driveway??? Sheesh. Where is she supposed to park?
By the way, River, the font is showing up the same as usual for me, in case that helps. Maybe the setting for your display got changed?
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteOur petrol prices mirror Mimsie's - and have done for months. A consistent charge would be nice, but isn't going to happen. Fined for parking in her driveway? I would be suprised if that would stand up to a legal challenge.
ReplyDeleteI don't know.
ReplyDeleteI think we're being penalised everywhere...all over...for everything.
There is no escape...we're not even allowed to speed to enable us to escape!! ;)
I don't drive and the other half drove for a living now doesn't drive at all too and we no longer own a car, amazing how much money we save.
ReplyDeleteMerle ............
I hadn't realised they were parking fines. Fremantle Council charges people to park nearly everywhere and the private firm that is responsible for some car parks is dreadful. I think here we can park in our driveway but not sure about the flyover between street and fenceline. People here do park on their verge although I believe some councils don't like it.
ReplyDeleteThere is s steep hill on Karrinyup Road and it is a spot I am told where there is often a speed trap set at the bottom. Sneaky eh?
Your print on here is same as ever so perhaps you need to zoom in or something although I'm not sure you can do that with blogs.
Joanne; you hit the nail on the head. Revenueing. As to why the fines are so steep, no one seems to be able to get any answers there. It's been this way for decades.
ReplyDeletejenny_o; yes, we have Federal, State and local councils, so three levels. It's a well known fact that we have far too many councils with too many councillors all on wages far too high.
I've noticed the font is showing up the same once my comments are published, but in the box where I'm typing, it's a different smaller font and very hard on the eyes. It used to be larger. Ooh!! I've just tried something and now it is bigger, woo-hoo!
Elephant's Child; I've heard that your prices are also high. Wouldn't a consistent national standard be lovely? I'm pretty sure the woman is contesting the fine, that's why she got on TV.
Lee; I was talking to my neighbour yesterday and we both said that once the government had taxed us right out of jobs and homes, they'll be sorry, because they won't be able to squeeze any more money out of us.
Merle; that's where I have it good too, no car expenses, and I don't drink or smoke, so that's more money saved.
Mimsie; I'm not clear on the whole parking kerfuffle, since I don't drive. I'm sure this woman was parked in her driveway, I saw the car right up by her roller door. On TV. We have differing councils here, some are more restrictive than others, I know parking on the verge is not allowed and there was talk recently of introducing a carpark tax for those big supermarket parking areas.
Your comment on zooming in gave me an idea and I tried it, now the type in the commenting box is bigger again. I was having awful trouble seeing what i was typing, although the published comment was the same as before. so thank you for that.