Wrecking yard to fight $13k state fine

A DALBY business owner who was slogged with a $13,000 fine by the Queensland government has vowed to fight the notice, labelling it as “wrong”.

Goebbels’ Machinery along with several other family owned wrecking yards in Dalby were given on the spot fines of $13,445 by the Department of Environment and Science earlier this year for carrying out an environmentally relevant activity without the property authority.

A DES spokesman said the onus was on the companies to be aware of the legislation relating to their activities that involved “waste”, and claimed an “environmental authority” was needed.

Owner Paul Goebbels said he planned to contend the fine, even after being knocked back by Queensland’s Environment Minister Meaghan Scanlon.

“We told (Member for Warrego) Ann Leahy about it, and she wrote a letter to the Minister which took quite a while for her to reply,” Mr Goebbels said.

“She then basically said we’d have to argue it in court, and there was nothing she could do.”

Mr Goebbels said he had since met with the DES with his solicitor to contest what he believed was an unjust fine, with his business operations halting to meet with the directions notice.

“I think it’s just completely unfair, and at the moment I can’t bring anything to be dismantled so I’m losing business on that,” he said.

“We’ve been in business for years, and to introduce this legislation and not tell anyone about it, then expecting you to pay a fine is so wrong.”

The Dalby business owner said it would be in his best interests commercially to pay the fine, but said he wanted to fight it. Ms Leahy said it was “very disappointing” outcome.