Queensland motorists owe tens of millions of dollars in unpaid parking fines – with one individual or company accumulating a parking fine debt of more than $35,000.
New figures from the State Penalties Enforcement Registry (SPER) show there are more than 305,000 unpaid parking fine debts in Queensland worth $42.3 million.
This was up from the $40.79 million owed the same time the year before, but less than the $43.97 million that was owed in April 2021.
SPER, which is run by the state government, collects unpaid fines and penalties that have been referred to them by agencies, such as councils.
Residents living in Brisbane are being pursued by SPER for $12.6 million, while those residing on the Gold Coast owe about $11.16 million in outstanding parking penalties.
The figures relate only to where the debtor lives – not the local government area where the fines were issued.
SPER has also released new numbers detailing the debtors on their books with the highest parking fine debts.
The biggest outstanding balance was $35,721, which was owed by a single organisation or individual who had racked up 274 parking fine-related debts.
Another debtor sitting on SPER's books owes $32,538 from 175 parking fine-related debts, while another debtor is being pursued by SPER for $30,299 from 160 debts.
SPER says the outstanding balances owed by those debtors could include other components beyond the parking fines, such as reminder notice fees or SPER registration fees.
"Debtors have multiple opportunities to pay their debt before SPER takes enforcement action," a spokesperson for SPER said.
"Debtors who refuse to pay can have their driver licence suspended, money taken from their wages or bank accounts or have their cars clamped, seized and towed to encourage them to meet their obligations."
The SPER spokesperson said the debt collector used the most recent contact information available to notify people of their debts, as they urged Queenslanders to keep their details up to date with the relevant authorities.
Brisbane City Council's City Standards and Safety Chair, Kim Marx, said the council always tried to arrange a payment from the person who received the fine, before referring the penalty to SPER.
The council takes multiple steps before referring a penalty to SPER – with the whole process taking 126 days.
"While a majority of people do the right thing, unfortunately there will always be some people who try to dodge paying their fines," Ms Marx said.
"Fines are issued because someone has done the wrong thing and the money goes straight back into the community and delivers services and infrastructure."
