Councils stall on disabled parking

A STATE government push to force councils to increase penalties for callous drivers who illegally park in disability parking bays has fallen flat.

It has been almost six months since the government increased the value of policeissued fines for illegal parking in disability bays to $533.

Yet some of Queensland’s biggest local governments, including the Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast councils, are yet to increase the penalty.

Brisbane City Council has also not increased its fines, but will finish a review this year with a plan to make the penalty $533, which would bring it into line with the state government fine. The current fine on the Gold Coast is $333, the Sunshine Coast $266 and Brisbane $261.

The government increased fines in a bid to target drivers who were parking illegally in disability bays.

“It’s arrogant and selfish behaviour that the community doesn’t support,” Transport Minister Mark Bailey said.

“That’s why the state government passed legislation last year to enable councils to crack down on it.”

Mr Bailey (pictured) said he was surprised and disappointed that some councils had not increased their penalties.

A City of Gold Coast spokesman said the council was “considering” adopting the new penalty.

A Sunshine Coast Council spokeswoman said the penalty had been “noted” for future reviews of their local laws.

“Council would need to review and update the local law before any increase to the infringement could be considered,” she said.

IT’S ARROGANT AND SELFISH BEHAVIOUR THAT THE COMMUNITY DOESN’T SUPPORT TRANSPORT MINISTER MARK BAILEY

BCC City Standards and Safety chairwoman Kim Marx said a review of local parking laws would be finished this year, before being subject to public and state government consultation.

“The state government was advised in July 2020 that this was the process we would follow to increase the set disability penalty unit amount,” she said.

“Amending the local law is the only way this penalty can be increased, and there is a set process to follow.”

Mr Bailey said he would ask his department for an update on which councils had taken up the new penalty.

He insisted that offenders should expect to be “harshly penalised”.

In Cairns, where the fine remains $230, a spokesman said the issue had been listed for review for a future local law amendment scheme.

Logan City Council has already amended its laws to increase the penalty to $533.

H (December): We were so excited Andy for to see the room, it must be a palace the money we paid … nope, the air conditioning unit was hanging off the wall with the wires exposed, my wife the went to make a cup of tea and filling kettle the tap handle fell off in her hand.

Lisa C (December): The TV kept cutting out with an error message that constantly required restarting. The Reception didn’t answer the phone when we called. Offered to $50, Valet park our Aston Martin for which we declined.

dust Mika655: Checking in at front desk, also, noticeable on all furniture, cobwebs cables sticking out near where you would place your feet.

Woo742: Old tired boring dull. Food is b grade, cocktails c grade, probably the worst hotel in that price range I’ve ever stayed in. CeeCee: The pool cabanas were in terrible condition. We booked a cabana for Christmas Day and the roof on our cabana had a huge rip in it and there was left over food and water bottles laying around on the ground from the day before.