Community & Business
21 November, 2023
Knuth demands proof on speed camera fines
MORE than 300 people will have to cough up $300,000 before Christmas after an investigation by the Department of Transport and Main Road concluded a “dodgy” mobile speed camera in Malanda was calibrated properly.
Outraged by Minister for Main Roads Mark Bailey’s response to the debacle, Member for Hill Shane Knuth has demanded solid proof the camera was calibrated and placed correctly, submitting a Right to Information Request.
During Question Time in Parliament last week, Mr Knuth stood up again on behalf of those who have received the fines, asking Mr Bailey what the result of the investigation was.
“My advice from the department is that when we put in the speed cameras, they are carefully calibrated,” Mr Bailey said.
“There is a very clear procedure. No evidence has been provided to me by any person to suggest that that has not been the case. If someone has, I am happy to look at it.
“However, simply saying that people have been fined and, therefore, there is something wrong with the camera is not an evidence-based submission to me.”
Mr Knuth said he was furious with the Minister because, after his Question with Notice, the Minister’s office rang and arranged a meeting with himself and fellow KAP members only to send a staff member to the meeting to say it was cancelled.
“This is not good enough especially after he committed to investigate the matter,” he said.
“We don’t believe he has the documentation to prove that the machine was correctly calibrated.
“We have written letters, provided him with hundreds of short statements from those with speeding fines, asked a number of questions and spoke to the issue.
“Still, he continues to evade us and fails to provide proof that the speed camera was calibrated correctly.”
Mr Knuth believes there is no evidence whatsoever to suggest the section of road is a high crash incident location, which would warrant the placement of the device.
“These types of cameras aren’t about road safety. They are about racking in as much revenue for the Government as possible,” he said.
The majority of those fined are adamant they were not speeding at the time, with many of them turning out to a public meeting recently to share their experiences.
