Pittwater Life March 2019 Issue

Amon queries fines focus
Narrabeen Ward Councillor
Rory Amon is asking
Council to examine what
he considers a disproportionate
organisational
focus on revenue gained
from parking fines compared
to litter fines.
Cr Amon said figures
from the past financial year
showed that Council issued
63,417 penalty infringements
for parking-related offences
to a value of $7.904 million.
Over the same period, just
eight penalty infringements
were issued for littering offences,
to a value of $2,250.
“There is clearly an organisational
focus on parking
fines over litter fines,”
he said. “However, time and
again, our community tell
us they care deeply about
our local environment.
“The balance is wrong
when you’re 8,000 times
more likely to receive a
parking fine instead of a litter
fine, which is a deliberate
lazy offence.”
He conceded that litter offences
were harder to police
and enforce, due to a need to
evidence and obtain personal
details of the litter bug.
“But it can be done – City
of Sydney rangers frequently
patrol smokers’ hot spots
with a camera and fine litterers,”
he said.
“I am not suggesting
diverting resources from
rangers who monitor parking
restrictions, but having
a more balanced focus on
enforcing litter laws.”
At Council’s February
meeting Cr Amon asked
that staff prepare a Litter
Reduction Strategy to be
reported to the April or May
Council meeting, setting
out the steps council could
take to reduce littering
(including illegal dumping)
through various strategies,
but especially through
increased enforcement.
“Litter becomes a massive
issue over summer when
the Northern Beaches is
transformed to a tourism
destination.” – NW
News
The Local Voice Since 1991
MARCH 2019 11