Chris Bishop

National List MP based in the Hutt Valley

$600,000 collected from fine dodgers in the Hutt Valley

The threat of taking away people’s ability to drive has proven to be a very effective enforcement tool for overdue fines in the Hutt Valley.

“Driver Licence Stop Orders (DLSOs) were introduced in February 2014, and since then people have returned over $600,000 in overdue fines across the Hutt Valley, Lower Hutt, and Upper Hutt District Courts rather than face the alternative – losing their driver licence,” says Mr Bishop.

$375,000 was returned through the Lower Hutt District Court, $140,000 through the Upper Hutt District Court, and 93,000 has come through the new Hutt Valley District Court.

“This is money owed to the taxpayer and the message is clear – people who incur fines need to pay them,” says Mr Bishop.

Money paid through fines is invested back into services for hard-working New Zealanders.

“Nationally, $20.4 million has been paid to the taxpayer – much higher than the $7 million forecast. Nearly 19,500 people who weren't paying their fines have now either done so, or are doing so.

DLSOs can be placed on anyone who fails to pay traffic-related fines imposed by a Court, Police, or local government authority – or reparations imposed by a Court for traffic-related offences.

ENDS

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