- Council labelled bullies as parking fine overturned
- By BEAU DONELLY
- 23/07/2013 Make a Comment
- Contributed by: Bewitched ( 20 articles in 2013 )
A magistrate has ruled in favour of a single mother who was fined by City of Melbourne parking officers when she stopped her car in a loading zone to report a traffic accident to police.
Carlton woman Frida Theodorakis witnessed a collision involving two vehicles at the intersection of Elgin and Rathdowne streets in Carlton in November last year.
She pulled her car over and parked in a loading zone to call police, believing one of the drivers was drug affected and posed a danger to himself and other motorists.
Ms Theodorakis said she briefly left her parked car unattended after the police operator asked her to get the registration details of the vehicles. While she was away, parking officers issued an infringement notice.
Ms Theodorakis contested the fine in writing, explaining that one of the drivers “could barely stand on his feet” and that: “I felt I needed to do something to try and get this person off the road”.
She said she also provided the council with a statutory declaration outlining her reasons for stopping as well as audio from the triple-0 call, which she obtained from police.
But an internal review by the council upheld the penalty because there was “insufficient evidence to indicate that the situation warranted the non-compliance of restrictions”.
Last week Ms Theodorakis pleaded guilty to the traffic offence and broke down in tears as she spoke before the court.
Deputy Chief Magistrate Dan Muling found the charge proven, but dismissed it and ruled that Ms Theodorakis would not have to pay the $141 fine.
“The council thinks they can get away with anything they like,” Ms Theodorakis said after the hearing.
“They’re just bullies. It’s bureaucracy gone mad – this has gone on for almost a year.
“My only concern [at the time] was that if that guy had got back into the car and killed someone and I had done nothing about it. Even after everything I would do it again.”
The City of Melbourne declined to comment on the case.
Carlton woman Frida Theodorakis witnessed a collision involving two vehicles at the intersection of Elgin and Rathdowne streets in Carlton in November last year.
She pulled her car over and parked in a loading zone to call police, believing one of the drivers was drug affected and posed a danger to himself and other motorists.
Ms Theodorakis said she briefly left her parked car unattended after the police operator asked her to get the registration details of the vehicles. While she was away, parking officers issued an infringement notice.
Ms Theodorakis contested the fine in writing, explaining that one of the drivers “could barely stand on his feet” and that: “I felt I needed to do something to try and get this person off the road”.
She said she also provided the council with a statutory declaration outlining her reasons for stopping as well as audio from the triple-0 call, which she obtained from police.
But an internal review by the council upheld the penalty because there was “insufficient evidence to indicate that the situation warranted the non-compliance of restrictions”.
Last week Ms Theodorakis pleaded guilty to the traffic offence and broke down in tears as she spoke before the court.
Deputy Chief Magistrate Dan Muling found the charge proven, but dismissed it and ruled that Ms Theodorakis would not have to pay the $141 fine.
“The council thinks they can get away with anything they like,” Ms Theodorakis said after the hearing.
“They’re just bullies. It’s bureaucracy gone mad – this has gone on for almost a year.
“My only concern [at the time] was that if that guy had got back into the car and killed someone and I had done nothing about it. Even after everything I would do it again.”
The City of Melbourne declined to comment on the case.
Source: https://www.theweeklyreviewmelbournetimes.com.au/story/1655692/council-labelled-bullies-as-parking-fine-overturned/?cs=1471
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