Even unpaid fines are spiralling out of control: Opposition

LETTER TO THE EDITOR
 
Sir – The quarterly Business Outlook report released today by Deloitte Access Economics paints a dim picture of the Territory’s economy.
 
It proves the Gunner Labor Government is doing little in the way of encouraging much needed sustainable private sector investment into the Territory.
 
Employment is down because there are fewer jobs to employ people, residents are leaving in droves and the number of migrants from overseas has also fallen.
 
As answers to questions on notice during Estimates 2019 filter through, the Opposition also learned the amount of unpaid fines totalled $107, 920, 907 as at March 31.
 
When the CLP was in Government in 2016, this amount was $60m. In 2014 we introduced a name and shame website for unpaid fines, along with allowing for garnishment and ceased business dealings at the Motor Vehicle Registry until arrangements were made to pay off fines.
 
With these actions in place, the CLP saw $4m in additional revenue collected between 2014 and 2016, and a number of people enter into time to pay arrangements.
 
Now we see a Government who’s failed to implement any consequences, and fines almost double since they were elected in 2016.
 
Crime is out of control, we’ve got a Government which has lost control of inmates at Don Dale and debtors who know there’s essentially no consequences for unpaid fines.
 
The government wasted $800,000 for a scrapped plan for a Myilly Point museum, a 2017 delegation to Singapore to look at plants, the $500,000 MyFuel website with no results, and the $150,000 driverless bus are some examples of wasteful spending which have seen the Government spiral into the worst debt we’ve ever seen.
 
Opposition Leader Gary Higgins