Canberra man Robert Scott has been issued two fines for speeding on Canberra Avenue. The strange part is that they both occurred 19 years ago. Photo: Robert Scott.
A Canberra man has been left shocked and confused after opening a letter with a couple of speeding fines dated all the way back to 2007.
Robert Scott was opening his mail on Monday evening when he came across infringement notices that showed the registration details of a car he hasn’t driven for over a decade.
Mr Scott ran outside to double-check his vehicles, believing it to be a mistake.
Once back inside, he soon realised that the infringements were dated May and June 2007.
“I’ve got no idea how it happened because if I haven’t paid a fine for the last 20 years, I would have a suspended licence,” he said.
“I don’t understand how I didn’t receive a fine back then. I don’t understand how there haven’t been updates since, and I don’t understand how I’m now receiving a reminder nearly 20 years later.”
When Mr Scott contacted Access Canberra, he was told he was issued the fine in 2007; however, he insists he has no recollection of receiving a letter.
“I was in my 20s. I was in between living at my girlfriend’s place and my parents’ place. So I’ve got no recollection of the fines from 20 years ago,” he said.
“Since 2007, I have registered several cars many times. At no point was I flagged for demerit points or told that there were any outstanding fines.
“The only time I’ve even been pulled up by police in that time was earlier this year. I didn’t do anything wrong; it was just being pulled over for a check, but they didn’t flag anything then either.”
He also said he found it ironic that, despite the near two-decade-long gap, he has only 28 days to pay the fines or set up a payment plan.
Mr Scott is not the only one to have received a fine from the ACT Government with lengthy periods between the infringement and the issuing of notices.
Several interstate residents have also been hit with new fines for old offences, with examples being shared from 2018, 2012 and 2009.
A Northern Territory resident, who was issued a fine in late August, said his offence occurred in 2012, with the notice stating he drove 72 km/h in a 60 zone on Canberra Avenue, the same place Mr Scott was pinged on in 2007.
According to Road Transport (Offences) Regulation 2005, “The administering authority must serve the infringement notice on the nominated person as soon as practicable, but not later than 1 year after the authority accepts the infringement notice declaration”.
Mr Scott said he is willing to contest the two fines but is unsure whether anything will amount from it. He believes the fines issued must have come from administrative error.
“I think it’s more likely there are bugs in their system that they haven’t ironed out over the last 20 years,” he said.
“If it’s a person, then there has to be an administrative error that has occurred. If it’s a computer, I don’t understand why they are looking over files from nearly 20 years ago.
“Even looking over the infringement notice, there’s no picture attached to either of them proving that I was going over the limit in either case.”
The total of both fines is $327. Mr Scott said he is unsure whether that is in 2007 or 2026 dollars.
Region has reached out to Access Canberra for comment on its infringement notice policy, potential statutes of limitations and whether it is actively tracking older offences.
