A state MP has joined growing calls for the Queensland government to ditch millions in unpaid fines issued during Covid and refund those who paid the infringement.
The state’s Penalties Enforcement Registry is chasing a whopping $3.2million debt from 2,075 outstanding Covid-19 infringement notices dating back to the start of the pandemic almost five years ago.
It comes after the New South Wales Commissioner of Fines Administration announced last month that its government would withdraw outstanding Covid-19-related penalties, following ‘legal representations’.
Katter’s Australian Party deputy leader Nick Dametto said the Queensland government should follow suit as an act of goodwill towards the state.
‘It’s interesting a lot of literature and studies are coming back about how the pandemic was handled, a lot of red flags saying things could have been done better,’ he told the Courier Mail.
‘There were thousands of fines handed out across Queensland and if the government wants to start righting some of the wrongs of that period – where the government was in control – a good place to start may be reimbursing some of those fines.’
He claimed murky messaging was to blame for the offences issued under the former Labor government led by then-Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk.
‘The premier would make her address about 10am, and it would take hours for departments to catch up with what was said during press conferences … it added intense confusion,’ Mr Dametto added.
An MP has called for Queenslanders hit with Covid-19 penalties to be cleared of outstanding fines. Pictured are police patrolling a border checkpoint during the pandemic
A State Penalties Enforcement Registry spokesman told the publication that it couldn’t withdraw fines as it was a government issue.
New Queensland treasurer David Janetzki also refused to be drawn into the matter.
‘SPER is managing that process and has not provided any advice relating to these issues,’ he said.
Queensland’s pandemic laws saw anyone in breach of a Public Health Direction slapped with an on the spot $1,378 fine, while businesses were slugged up to $7,100.
There are also calls for Queenslanders who paid their Covid fines to be reimbursed (stock image)
Officials doled out fines for a range of infringements from breaching border and travel restrictions, to holding gatherings and failing to wear masks.
More than 23,500 penalty notices remained unpaid when NSW recently announced its outstanding invoices would be withdrawn.
About $5.5million will be those who have already paid or partially paid their fines.
It came after lawyers from Maurice Blackburn notified the NSW government of its plans to file a class action over the remaining penalties after a slew were forgiven in 2022.
They alleged the fines were improperly issued for not passing the ‘bare minimum’ test established in a 2022 Supreme court ruling.
The ruling found fines to be invalid if they failed to include adequate detail about the relevant Act and provision related to the offence, according to Redfern Legal Centre.
The state withdrew some 36,000 penalty notices totalling $15million in 2022.
Nick Dametto (centre) said the Queensland government should withdraw outstanding Covid fines as an act of good faith to the public
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