я╗┐Renee Bishop received a fine in the mail weeks after her New Year’s Eve dinner at a restaurant in Manly in Brisbane’s east.
“There may have been one other car in the carpark,” she told 9News.
“I thought nothing of it, had a lovely dinner, and this week I get a fine in the mail for $88 for parking next door to the restaurant.я╗┐
“I thought how on earth did they even get our registration details?”
Another man was fined the same amount for visiting a McDonald’s drive-through in Coorparoo twice in one day.
The terms and conditions of the car park do warn against making multiple visits, but it’s in small writing on a sign next to the entrance.
Private companies paid by property owners to enforce time limits in private car parks issue the fines, using number plate recognition to catch out drivers and post them the penalty.
A loophole allows them to get the registered owner’s details directly from the transport department.
Queensland cracked down on dodgy tow truck drivers a few year ago я╗┐and Transport Minister Mark Bailey said these “shonky” claims would be next.
“I think it is disgraceful and disgusting,” he said.
“We will be moving to make sure this shonky behaviour is a thing of the past, and it’s really disappointing to see people treated like this.”
In the meantime, the minister had one message fя╗┐or unlucky drivers.
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“Don’t pay the so-called fine because it’s not a fine. They’re not allowed to fine you under the law,” he said.
The companies can still pursue through drivers through the courts for the debt, but in reality it’s likely not worth the cost and effort to do so.