And you thought traffic fines were bad….
- State Penalties Enforcement Register chasing $5.2m in unpaid Covid-19 fines
- Queensland Health is using SPER to crackdown on 3,046 unpaid penalty notices
- 2,755 fines were from individuals & businesses accused of flouting Covid rules
- SPER also to collect $5.7 million in repayments on overdue hotel quarantine bills
Queenslanders who received fines for breaking Covid-19 rules risk having their homes seized and bank accounts frozen in a government crackdown to collect $5.2 million in repayments.
The State Penalties Enforcement Register is expected to collect 3,046 unpaid fines from the pandemic on behalf of Queensland Health.
More than 2,755 fines were from individuals and businesses accused of breaking Covid-19 restrictions and the rest either still under investigation or pending payment.
The State Penalties Enforcement Register is chasing $5.2m in unpaid Covid-19 fines from individuals and businesses who are accused of flouting rule during the pandemic
About 56.4 per cent of fines have already been paid in full or are being paid off on a payment plan.
SPER said enforcement for people who failed to pay their fines ‘may include garnishing bank accounts or wages, registering charges over property, or suspending driver licences’, according to the Brisbane Times.
The drastic measures would be used to collect 18.4 per cent of outstanding fines, worth a total of $1 million.
Queensland Health also called on SPER to recover more than 2,045 overdue hotel quarantine bills which have racked up a state debt of $5.7 million.
More than 2,755 fines were from individuals and businesses accused of breaking Covid-19 restrictions and the rest either still under investigation or pending payment
‘Queenslanders rightly expect travellers will pay for their hotel quarantine stays and not leave taxpayers to foot the bill,’ Queensland Health said.
The commission debt collectors will make from recovering the unpaid fines is not yet known.
Before Queensland required upfront payment for hotel quarantine stays, 44,350 invoices were issued by October 8 with 10.8 per cent of bills outstanding.
Those unable to foot the bill can apply for a waiver but others will be referred to debt collectors.
More than 2,045 hotel quarantine bills are overdue valued at a total of $5.7million (pictured, Brisbane’s quarantine hotel The Mercure)