Page 2179 - Week 06 - Wednesday, 9 May 2012
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The expert panel provided its report to the government last year, and its recommendations are currently under close consideration. While I cannot yet advise of the government’s final response, I can say that the government response to the report of the expert panel is anticipated to go beyond providing alternative payment options for traffic and parking infringement notices.
The response is expected to address financial hardship for Canberra’s families in a more holistic manner. The government has already introduced a new website, assistance.act.gov.au, that contains information on over 100 different types of support available, grouped to allow people to quickly determine the help they may be entitled to, including on traffic and parking infringements.
A first step has also already been taken by the government to improve the flexibility around arrangements for accessing extra time to pay traffic and parking infringements. To this end an amendment was included in the government’s Road Transport (General) Amendment Bill, which was passed by the Assembly last week. While that bill predominantly focused on amendments directed at ensuring the integrity of the infringement notice scheme, it also included an amendment to allow “out of time” requests to be made to the administering authority for additional time to pay an infringement penalty.
Applications for additional time to pay were previously required to be made within 28 days after service of the reminder notice. The amendment will allow the administering authority to approve an application for extra time to pay that is made at any time after that 28-day period has expired if there are special circumstances that justify the approval. This amendment will not require any system changes and is not anticipated to generate the need for any additional administrative resources.
Having said that, the government recognises that the additional measures in the bill put forward by Ms Bresnan are another important step towards addressing the issues identified in the expert panel’s report. On that basis, the government has indicated its support for the bill so long as there is work to ensure its consistency with the government’s bill. The government therefore will be supporting the amendments that will be put forward by Ms Bresnan later in the debate that achieve this aim.
It is noted that the amendments to be moved by Ms Bresnan include a delayed commencement provision. This amendment will be supported by the government. As members will appreciate, there is a considerable administrative effort required to put in place the necessary infrastructure and resources to support the proposed new flexible options. There is also a need to consult with the community sector to ensure that the arrangements we put in place will be sustainable in the long term and effective in assisting Canberra families and other households in hardship.
The amended bill will include provisions to amend part 3 of the Road Transport (General) Act to include three new options to assist people who are experiencing financial or other personal difficulties in paying a traffic or parking infringement notice penalty. The amended bill will enable a person in these circumstances to apply to the relevant authority for approval to pay the penalty by instalments over an
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