Next time you think of parking in a designated mobility park when you are not the permit holder, think twice.
Government is cracking down on people who misuse car parks for disabled people and is increasing the penalty to $750 from the current $150.
“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,” says the Minister for Disability Issues, Louise Upston.
“Parking in an area reserved for disabled people is the epitome of arrogance. We need to get tough on this selfish behaviour, and that is why we are taking action. The current $150 penalty will increase to $750, reflecting the seriousness of this offence,” the Minister said in a statement today.
“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.”
This step is to ensure towage fees does not leave tow-truck operators out of pocket, and adjusting parking fines for inflation.
Regulated fees for towage and impoundment have not been updated since at least 2004 and are no longer covering operators’ costs. The Government has agreed to an inflation-based increase to the fees, to come into effect from 1 October 2024.
The Ministry of Transport will support local government and the towage and storage sector to implement the fee increases by 1 October.
Transport Minister Simeon Brown says “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.
“The changes the Government is announcing today will ensure that the value of penalty infringements is inflation adjusted to support local councils with enforcement, something councils have been calling for.”