Speed
camera
refunds
in the
mail
July 30,
2004
REFUNDS
from
faulty
fixed
speed
camera
fines
are
being
posted
out
at the
rate
of 8000
a day.
About
25,000
drivers
caught
by the
faulty
cameras
have
so far
received
refunds
and
had
demerit
points
restored.
Refunds
totaling
$18
million
are
waiting
for
the
87,000
drivers
caught
by 19
faulty
cameras
on the
Western
Ring
Rd cameras
after
they
were
turned
on in
December
2002.
Another
$6 million
in fines
frozen
from
November
12 last
year
has
been
scrapped.
About
73,000
drivers
have
so far
replied
to letters
posted
in June
asking
them
to confirm
their
address
to get
a refund,
a spokeswoman
for
acting
Police
Minister
John
Lenders
said
yesterday.
The
spokeswoman
said
all
refunds
would
be mailed
within
a fortnight.
The
other
14,000
drivers
have
until
August
31 to
respond.
Herald
Sun
Australia
caps
speed
camera
compensation
Tanya
Giles
and
Jeremy
Kelly
August
11,
2004
THE
Bracks
Government,
in an
about-face,
will
cap
compensation
to motorists
who
lost
licenses
after
being
caught
by faulty
speed
cameras.
The
Government
yesterday
announced
compensation
payouts
for
about
3000
motorists
would
be limited
for
claims
of loss
of income
and
travel
expenses.
Only
three
months
ago,
Premier
Steve
Bracks
said
the
ex gratia
payments
would
be unlimited,
and
made
on a
case-by-case
basis,
largely
for
economic
loss.
Acting
Police
Minister
John
Lenders
yesterday
said
motorists
who
collected
too
many
demerit
points,
and
lost
licences
after
being
caught
on faulty
fixed
speed
cameras
on the
Western
Ring
Rd,
would
be paid
compensation
from
a $6
million
fund.
He
said
motorists
would
be eligible
for
a maximum
payment
of $955
a week
for
loss
of income,
if they
were
employees.
The
Government
said
the
cap
was
based
on the
Victorian
adult
full-time
average
weekly
earnings.
Compensation
for
business
owners
will
be determined
case
by case.
Motorists
will
also
be able
to claim
up to
$230
a month
for
travel
costs,
with
an extra
$100
a month
for
carers
or drivers
who
cannot
use
public
transport
because
of a
disability,
incapacity
or illness.
A
Government
spokeswoman
said
caps
had
not
been
imposed,
but
guidelines
to ensure
the
process
was
fair
and
reasonable.
Mr
Lenders
said
all
applications
for
payments
would
be assessed
by independent
accounting
firm
PricewaterhouseCoopers.
Letters
were
sent
out
yesterday
to about
3000
motorists
telling
them
they
have
until
Tuesday,
September
14,
to apply
for
an ex
gratia
payment.
Opposition
transport
spokesman
Terry
Mulder
said
the
Government
had
cheated
motorists.
"It's
their
fault
and
this
compensation
scheme
is grossly
unfair,"
Mr Mulder
said.
"How
can
you
compare
an 18
or 19-year-old
inconvenienced
by losing
their
licence
to drive
to uni
to a
family
man
who
has
lost
his
licence,
his
income
and
possibly
his
home?"
Police
will
this
week
send
out
about
41,000
letters
telling
drivers
that
speeding
fines
issued
on CityLink
and
the
Monash
Freeway
before
November
12 will
be enforced.
Another
3450
motorists
caught
driving
unregistered
vehicles
on the
Monash
Freeway,
CityLink
and
Western
Ring
Rd before
November
12 last
year
will
also
need
to pay
their
fines.
Motorists
will
have
28 days
to pay
the
fines
for
speeding
and
driving
unregistered
cars.
About
7500
fines
on Monash
Freeway,
CityLink
and
Western
Ring
Rd,
put
on hold
on November
12,
will
not
proceed
because
police
had
exceeded
their
12-month
statute
of limitations
period
and
couldn't
enforce
them.
Herald Sun
|
:: PAST ARTICLES, ARCHIVED BY DATE:: |
| 2005 |
| |
| 2004 |
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| 2003 |
|
01.06.03 |
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03.11.03 |
|
06.24.03 |
|
07.03.03 |
|
07.03.03 |
|
07.04.04 |
|
09.12.03 |
|
11.13.03 |
|
11.18.04 |
|
11.19.03 |
|
| 2002 |
|
04.01.02 |
|
10.14.02 |
|
10.02.02 |
|
