Target those who can pay!

[Clockwork]

This sucks.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/2362...se-who-can-pay

It shouldn't matter how much it costs to collect them, fines are meant to be a punishment NOT an income gathering exercise.

Or should I say revenue?
"New Zealanders owe $790 million in fines, of which $448m is overdue. Much of the fines came from traffic offences."

[Mikkel]

What a cop out.

Jail, home detention, removing licenses.... what a load of bollocks. Take their stuff and sell it - what remains can be paid off at $10/hour in labour camps. E.g. a coalmine.

It's not fucking difficult, all it takes is the willingness to do something about it.

[James Deuce]

They just need to tap IRD on the shoulder and get it taken out of people's pay. Talk about making a meal out of it.

[=cJ=]

Easy innit, if you break the law, just make sure you display complete, utter comtempt for it and you'll get treated more lightly.

/me is so confused...

[Mully]

That's fucking outrageous.

Take their fucking stuff, take their fucking pay or make them do PD (and chuck the fuckers in jail if they don't).

This is complete bullshit. This wont happen. The public outcry will stop it in it's tracks.

Who's the Minister in charge?? Corrections??

[alanzs]

Is anybody really surprised?

[Dave Lobster]

The public outcry will stop it in it's tracks.

Thanks... I've just spat porridge in my laptop!!

[avgas]

Don't attempt to pay a fine, don't attempt in any way to at least organize something with the govt.
Remove ALL assets - burn notice. Not just ones required to pay fines, ALL.
Should said assets not cover expenses - chain gang.
Whats the point of having a judicial process if there is NO CONSEQUENCE?
Slumdog millionaire indeed.

[CookMySock]

Which reinforces what believe - if you dont want to pay it, then DON'T. Theres fuck all they can do about it.

Steve

[BigG]

So thats why the HP are patrolling the Havelock North Hills eH!

[Beemer]

It pisses me off too. Why should those who pay up when they are fined have to carry on when they are basically saying that those who don't pay won't be chased? Why don't they start seizing assets? Most of the fine dodgers have flat screen tvs, a car, XBox, etc so start taking that. Or take a percentage of their wages before they get it (like child support but this can be taxpayer support!) or their benefit if that is the only source of income.

Many times you hear of cops giving a person repeated fines for the same offence - riding a pushbike without a helmet, no warrant, no rego, no licence, etc. Instead of repeatedly fining them, if they get caught again and they haven't paid the fine for the first offence, seize their property or force them to undertake some form of community work every weekend (like PD) until they have paid off the debt. If they refuse, then put them in some sort of remand centre for a month - or send them to an army-like facility.

It pisses me off when someone goes up before the court and because they get a jail sentence they have all their fines cancelled. Hell, if we buy a house and pay off 50% of the mortgage the bank doesn't turn around and say "good on you, don't bother paying the rest!" so why should people who owe money to us - the taxpayer - be let off?

[Genestho]

*Chortle* ..."Too Hard"....

I've often wondered why IRD cannot take the fines directly out of pays...

If you refuse to pay, the fines are then converted into community service. The hourly rate, usually more than $100 an hour, makes it attractive to default....

Ridiculous...

[steve_t]

I don't get why they can't just send a letter saying "If you do not pay your fine within 10 working days (or 28 days or whatever) or at least contact us to arrange a payment plan, we will add collection costs to your fine and you will be charge 2.5% interest calculated daily."
This is how the IRD works. This would make all fines cost effective to collect and the purpose of the fine will be fulfilled. How does not enforcing a fine stop the offender from re-offending? I hate that Labour has turned this country so far into socialism that it's nearly a communist country. It's almost better to be without a job! WINZ give people the benefit, food money, money for clothes, washing machines to wash the clothes they've bought with tax dollars, money for their teeth to get fixed, money to help them get cars.
OK, rant rant rant about politics... haha

[slofox]

Un be fucking lievable.....reinforce contempt for the law...yeah. That would work...

[jaymzw]

I don't get why they can't just send a letter saying "If you do not pay your fine within 10 working days (or 28 days or whatever) or at least contact us to arrange a payment plan, we will add collection costs to your fine and you will be charge 2.5% interest calculated daily."

Because this wont work, who gives a fuck if you get more added to your fines. You aren't going to pay them because there is no punishment or incentive for these crims.

I know someone who had emphasis on 'had' 11,000 dollars in fines after constantly getting done for no wof, no reg, no 'l plate',no full licensed passenger, outside lisence time to drive etc. It adds up bloody quickly he was again emphasis on 'was' an idiot but has now paid it all off after years at $50 a week. This was voluntary. But not everyone is like this, some people can't be forced because they don't care. The system needs to be changed before anything else.

At the end of the day it comes down to 'do the crime, then do the time or pay the fine'