let this be a lesson to governments

These speed cameras were not supplied by RDF, and maintained by no one, it seems. As a result, the people of Victoria lose out on many many millions of dollars in revenues. Unfortunately, it appears no one was responsible for this multi million dollar mistake.

I wonder if they are speaking to Redflex right now? If not, they'd have to be *completely* mad, would they not?

From http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2004/05/13/1084289819895.html#

Drivers to be refunded speed fines
By Misha Ketchell, Darren Gray
May 14, 2004

Millions of dollars in fines linked to faulty fixed speed cameras are expected to be repaid to motorists in a package to be announced today by the Bracks Government.

It is believed motorists booked by faulty fixed speed cameras on the Western Ring Road since they were installed in late 2002 will get their money back.

Motorists who accrued demerit points linked to readings by the Western Ring Road cameras are also likely to have those points wiped in the Government response to the speed camera crisis.

It is not clear whether motorists who have lost their licences will get compensation in the Government's package, and it is not known whether other speeding fines which have been in limbo - linked to fixed cameras on the Monash Freeway and CityLink since November 12 last year - will be repaid.

Meanwhile, documents obtained under freedom of information have revealed that Victoria's 41 fixed speed cameras were not tested for accuracy at any time in 2003.The State Opposition says the finding casts doubt on thousands of additional speeding fines and leaves the Government facing a potential bill of hundreds of millions of dollars to compensate motorists.
Advertisement Advertisement

Fines from the 41 cameras, on CityLink, the Western Ring Road and Monash Freeway, were frozen from November 12 last year after it emerged that at least three of them had recorded inaccurate readings.

Motorists caught by the cameras since November 12 have had their fines deferred pending a report to be detailed today.

The new documents, obtained under freedom of information laws, show the Government could have difficulty proving that the cameras were working properly at any time last year.

Opposition Leader Robert Doyle said all fines issued by the 41 suspect cameras in 2003 were now vulnerable to legal challenge and the problem represented a serious crisis.

The Government was aware of the problem as early as May last year, he said, but it had failed to act.

"We have documents that show the last time some of these cameras was tested was April 2001. Some of them hadn't been tested for two years," Mr Doyle said.

It was also outrageous that speeding fines would jump by 2.25 per cent from July 1 given the ongoing questions about the accuracy of fixed speed cameras, he said.

Under questioning in State Parliament yesterday, Premier Steve Bracks refused to say how much money was at risk.

George Svigos, a spokesman for Police Minister Andre Haermeyer, said the Government was legally required to calibrate the cameras every two years and it had complied with its legal obligations.

The RACV's manager of government relations, David Cumming, said motorists had lost faith in the system and the Government would have to find a fair way of returning fines and cancelling demerit points to restore confidence.