A city councillor has demanded an urgent review into a council-operated automated parking enforcement vehicle, dubbed a 'fine machine', after it banked a staggering $4.25 million in revenue from fines in a single financial year. The City of Adelaide's Park Safe vehicle, equipped with mounted cameras that scan streets for potential parking breaches, has sparked controversy for its rigorous ticketing approach.
Automated Enforcement Under Fire
The Park Safe vehicle captures footage of suspected parking offences, which are then reviewed by trained officers who decide whether fines should be issued. However, critics have highlighted hundreds of instances where residents were fined for minor infractions, such as briefly stepping out of their car to close a garage door, only to receive a penalty notice later. Many drivers were away from their vehicles for mere seconds when captured by the camera system, leading to fines that might not have been issued if a human parking ranger had been present.
Councillor Calls for Fairness
Councillor Keiran Snape, who is running as an Independent for the seat of Adelaide in the upcoming state election, told Daily Mail that the council has agreed to review the Park Safe system during an urgent meeting scheduled for next Tuesday. Snape expressed deep concerns about the system's lack of a human element, arguing it ensures many drivers are incorrectly fined.
'I am concerned. I think we're missing the human element in regards to the vehicle,' Cr Snape said. 'I'm not necessarily against the use of the vehicle, but it can be improved. We need to bring fairness back and right now that doesn't exist, and people don't trust the system, that it's making the right calls and that's a worry for me.'
Review Deadline and Financial Stakes
The deadline to complete the review is April 28, though Cr Snape was unable to convince his colleagues to suspend the fining system during the review period. He noted that while estimates suggest only two per cent of fines are incorrect, this still affects a significant number of residents given the thousands of fines issued annually.
'That's still far too many given that we are dishing out thousands of fines. That's a lot of people being caught up in this for doing the right thing, in fact,' he said. 'When there's a human parking inspector, they can see the situation, it's not just a snap. People are getting pinged despite not illegally parking.'
Snape warned he would call for the Park Safe vehicle to be banned if the review proves unsatisfactory. The council stands to lose up to $1.6 million in its 2025/26 budget, underscoring the automated vehicle's financial importance since its implementation.
Revenue Raising Perceptions
The mounted cameras have significantly boosted council revenue, leading to perceptions that the system is more about revenue raising than fair enforcement. Snape acknowledged this, stating, 'There is a perception that this is about revenue raising and it is a perception because 98 per cent of these fines are legitimate.'
National Context and Comparisons
In New South Wales, ticketless parking fines became so controversial that Premier Chris Minns moved to ban them. NSW Finance Minister Courtney Houssos said community feedback strongly supported scrapping the system, calling for a return to a fairer and more transparent approach.
'No one likes getting a parking fine. Finding out about it two weeks later stings even more,' Minister Houssos said.
Conversely, in Brisbane, ticketless technology has been expanded, generating huge revenue for councils across the state. This contrast highlights the ongoing debate over automated enforcement versus traditional methods, with Adelaide now at the centre of a critical review that could reshape its parking fine policies.
