Page 2185 - Week 06 - Wednesday, 9 May 2012
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community. The legislation reflects a key aspect of Greens policy, which is about making a real and positive difference to people’s lives. It recognises the people who are too often overlooked—people in financial hardship who are doing it tough, people who are vulnerable because of illness or disability and people who are struggling to find housing. These are changes that begin to rebuild the ACT’s overall system of fine management in a way that properly recognises these people.
As I have said before, this bill reforms traffic and parking fines, which is probably the most significant area needing reform, but other areas of fine management also need to be improved. I would like to recap the changes that will be made under the legislation today. Firstly, people will now have the opportunity to pay off traffic fines by instalments. Instalments will be able to be made over an extended period of time, taking into account the person’s financial circumstances. This instalment option will automatically be available to people on a health care card or pensioner concession card, or a Department of Veterans’ Affairs pensioner concession card or gold card. People on Centrelink payments will be able to pay via Centrepay, a system to facilitate automatic deductions.
Secondly, the legislation establishes a new system for people to discharge fines by undertaking community work or a social development program. These programs will be rehabilitative and beneficial to the community, including activities such as volunteer work for community organisations, medical or mental health treatment, counselling, mentoring, education or skills courses, or drug and alcohol treatment. They will be available to appropriate applicants who are in financial hardship or who have special circumstances. Not only will people be able to discharge fines in an appropriate way, but these programs can assist people to learn new skills, receive treatment and to engage in society. I believe this is a necessary and beneficial option that can benefit both the individual and society.
I draw members’ attention to the success of work and development orders and personal development orders in the New South Wales system. This was pointed out in a letter sent just yesterday to the Chief Minister by several peak bodies in the ACT community sector, and it was something the minister referred to in his speech regarding how New South Wales is considering expanding it.
A 2011 evaluation of the New South Wales fines system called “A fairer fines system for disadvantaged people” said that the work and development orders and personal development orders were, in fact, increasing the amount of revenue the government is collecting, reducing reoffending in the fine enforcement system, improving the participation of vulnerable people and engaging more people in drug and alcohol and mental health treatment. That is an important fact to consider in looking at some of the issues Mr Coe raised. It shows that this is an extremely successful system. These are exactly the types of positive impacts we want here in the ACT.
ACT Street Law has received feedback from community legal centres in New South Wales that disengaged young people with complex needs have successfully completed work and development orders and are re-engaging by undertaking activities such as attending TAFE, applying for no-interest loan programs and seeking employment.
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