Photo: PATRICK PLEUL / dpa-Zentralbild / dpa Picture-Alliance via AFP
Drivers who wrongly park in areas reserved for disabled people will soon face a 400 percent hike in penalty fees in what the government calls a crackdown on "selfish behaviour".
The fee hasn't been updated since 2004, prompting the government to announce from 1 October, the fee will increase from $150 to $750.
Louise Upston Photo: RNZ / Samuel Rillstone
Disability Issues Minister Louise Upston said parking in areas reserved for the disabled is the "epitome of arrogance".
"We need to get tough on this selfish behaviour, and that is why we are taking action."
"Increasing penalties for people who misuse mobility parking will level the playing field for disabled people by helping prevent unnecessary disruptions in their day-to-day lives.
"The penalty for abusing mobility parking in New Zealand is far too low compared to other countries, like Australia. Increasing this will send a very clear message that this behaviour is not okay, and our government is serious about addressing accessibility issues," Upston said.
The government is also applying an inflation-adjusted increase to all parking infringements - raising fees across the board by roughly 70 percent.
The increases are designed to ensure towage fees don't leave tow-truck operators out of pocket, as is currently the case.
"Towage fees have been too low for too long. This has meant that tow-truck operators are often left out of pocket for the service they provide. That's not acceptable and is why we're updating fees," Transport Minister Simeon Brown said.
"Parking infringement fees have not been updated in two decades, making councils' role in managing public parking increasingly difficult. For example, in Auckland, this has meant that paying a parking ticket is sometimes cheaper than paying for parking."
Where fees were set after 2004, the government has aligned the increase with similar offences for consistency.
