Concern over State policy to name and shame fine defaulters
A government website in Australia has adopted a policy of publicly naming and shaming people online who have failed to pay State Government fines.
The site names individuals who have not paid state fines
Western Australia’s state Attorney-General Michael Mischin said the defaulters owed the state government $259 million in unpaid infringements and court fines.
The website publishes the names, amount of money owed and the town or suburb details where they live.
“The top 100 fine defaulters list is frankly staggering. Every person on the list each owes tens of thousands of dollars, with a handful of individuals and companies owing between $100,000 and $250,000 each,” he said.
“It not only indicates a pattern of law breaking, but a complete disregard for our laws and for their fellow West Australians.
"The money from these unpaid fines and infringements should rightly be available for schools, hospitals and infrastructure.”
However the Criminal Lawyers Association of WA warned that there was no evidence such a policy would be effective.
"There is no evidence whatsoever that this process works in recovering money, then you have to ask if the only purpose is to embarrass people, is that really the purpose of government?" Criminal Lawyers Association president Linda Black said.
“People who don’t pay fines, they don’t pay fines for a reason. Now, for some people, that reason is just they don’t want to pay it and they think they’ll get away with it. Very often the people who have long-standing outstanding fines are people in dire financial circumstances,” she said.
“They’re not in a position to pay the fines. When they’re finally at a point where they’re getting some income coming in, they would prefer to use it to feed themselves, feed their children, pay for the schooling, fix their car. You’re talking about a group of society I think are who are largely the less affluent people, who are struggling.”
Attorney General Mischin said: “I suggest those individuals and companies who don’t want their names and details published for all to see on the web should immediately pay their fines and infringements or enter into time to pay arrangements with the Fines Enforcement Registry.”
Last year the state government launched a website naming and shaming sex offenders.