Infuriating ticketless parking fine system will be outlawed

A system loved by revenue-hungry councils but slammed as unfair and lacking in common sense by critics is set to be outlawed.

For four years, a growing number of councils across New South Wales have adopted a ticketless parking fine system, instead of leaving a physical infringement notice on windscreens.

The dramatic changes meant many motorists were unaware they had been pinged for weeks, sparking confusion and reducing the ability to dispute fines.

In the last financial year, a total of 822,310 ticketless fines were issued – up 49 per cent on 2022-23 when 551,000 were dished out.

Total ticketless parking fine revenue surged to $158 million in 2023-24, up 54 per cent on the year prior.

In a breakdown of the money raked in by individual councils in 2023, City of Sydney gobbled up the lion’s share with $42.4 million collected from 235,000 infringements.

But the gravy train will soon slow, The Daily Telegraph revealed, with NSW Finance Minister Courtney Houssos moving to outlaw ticketless fines, which were rolled out by the former government in 2020.

“No one ever likes to get a parking fine, but the idea you only find out about a fine weeks later doesn’t pass the common sense test,” Ms Houssos told the publication.

“Frustration among drivers and community members about the ticketless parking system is high – and that’s fair enough. The ticketless parking fine system was introduced by the previous government without regard for the impact on drivers and families.”

Motoring group NRMA has long lobbied for the system to be dumped after growing anger among drivers.

“Ticketless parking fines removed transparency and made it almost impossible for motorists to contest their fine if they felt they had a legitimate case,” it said.

In an information guide for motorists, Sydney law firm JB Solicitors pointed out that traditional fines allow drivers to “immediately assess the situation and gather evidence if they want to challenge”.

“Drivers may be unaware of the fine for days or weeks, making it harder to recall the circumstances and contest it, particularly if they’ve already disposed of potential evidence.”

That was the experience of Sydney tradie Phillip Fogolin, who told The Daily Telegraph he copped a fine but didn’t receive it in the mail for three weeks.

When the concreter asked the council for evidence, it couldn’t cough it up and so the infringement was cancelled.

In March, Ms Houssos ordered councils to switch back to some kind of physical ticket when motorists are issued an infringement.

“The current implementation of the ticketless parking system has eroded trust in [the] parking fine system,” she wrote in a letter to mayors.

“Providing immediate notification to drivers is the right thing to do.”

But those councils using the ticketless system refused, saying it was paramount to the safety of parking rangers.

For example, North Sydney Council told ABC News its ticketless system had “significantly reduced” the number of aggressive confrontations between rangers and motorists.

City of Sydney also told the outlet it had seen a reduction in instances of abuse since going ticketless.

That resistance from councils forced the State Government’s hand and legislation will be introduced to the parliament later this month.