No easy way to pay $6k fines

Angela McInerney wants to pay her fines off in instalments but Auckland's council does not allow that. Photo / Herald on Sunday

Auckland City Council has come under fire for not allowing people to pay their fines off by instalment.

Angela McInerney owes the Ministry of Justice more than $6000 in parking fines - more than her student loan.

The 33-year-old mother of two is a part-time tutor at Auckland University and said Auckland City Council persecuted those on low incomes who wanted to pay their fines by instalment because they didn't have the cash to pay upfront.

If someone is fined by Auckland City Council, the fine must go to the Ministry of Justice - incurring further costs of up to $130 - before it can be paid off by instalment.

She is paying the Ministry of Justice $50 a week to clear her debt.

McInerney was saving for a warrant of fitness and registration on her car and was fined twice in one day - a bill amounting to more than $800.

This is one of a number of fines she had received which ballooned in cost before she could pay by instalment.

"One of the frustrating things for me is I want to pay them off - but I can't do that until they've gone through the court process and incurred another $100 per fine.

"This system exponentially persecutes low-income earners who have more and more debt."

McInerney said many in the same situation had the attitude of "add it to my bill".

Wellington City Council allows part-payments for those with large fines, and McInerney said this made sense.

Auckland City Council parking manager Dale Clements said part-payments were not allowed as there had not been a demand.

"Secondly, it is technically not possible at the moment." He said it would make no sense to implement a new system with the Supercity merger so close.

"In the meantime, people have the option of going through the court system if they wish to pay fines by instalment."

At 30 June 2010, a total of $45.6m of unpaid parking fines were owed through the courts. A total of $254.8 million in fines was collected in the 2009-2010 financial year by the Ministry of Justice.

This was an increase on the $240.4 million collected in 2008-2009.