Letter Of The Month… Sculpture Vultures

By Heidi Blackwell of Bondi on December 7, 2012 in Other

On the morning of October 26, 2012, I went out to my car that was parked out the front of my apartment block at South Bondi and, to my surprise, discovered a parking ticket tucked underneath my windscreen wiper. My son hopped out and handed it to me and the blood drained out of my face as I read the fine: $496 for the offence of ‘Display article/ thing falsely resembling parking coupon’.

I sat and stared at it for a full minute trying to comprehend what it was saying. I even checked my parking permit just in case it had expired without my knowledge. Nope, it was still valid and still in place on the left hand side of my windscreen, along with my (valid) rego sticker.

I went straight to Waverley Council Customer Service Centre and lodged an appeal. Even the girl at the desk appeared shocked and confused.

Local residents dread the arrival of Sculpture by the Sea but we tolerate it with grace and goodwill because it brings with it a bounty for local business and the bonus of a lovely carnival atmosphere. We tolerate the parking nightmare with nary a grimace because for such a short period it would be churlish to complain. But local residents have had enough of the Waverley Council rangers! Twice I have discovered a ranger writing a ticket out the front of my house when a valid parking permit has been displayed and, when challenged, both times the reply has been a sheepish, “Oh, I didn’t see the permit.”

These are not isolated incidents. Waverley Council is notorious for its ruthless pursuit of revenue through its meters and parking fines. But to issue nonsensical fines to local residents who have done nothing illegal except park in a sought after area is unconscionable and shortsighted.