Nic Shea understands parking in a disabled park’s not OK, but says he couldn’t find a park near Blue Door to offload his musical equipment, and there wasn’t a loading zone nearby.
He maintains he only pulled in halfway with his hazard lights on and engine still running, and was there no longer than five minutes.
"I don’t see it as parking so much as I was unloading.
"I had no intention of harming disabled people in the community, I was there to actually bring joy and happiness."
Shea was mortified to be fined $750 for his troubles — a fine the government raised from $150 last October. When he pleaded his case with a council staffer, he was not only unsuccessful but, when he said he didn’t have $750 at his disposal, he was told he couldn’t set up a payment plan. He’d have to go through the court system if he wanted to pay in installments — "but then you have court fees on top".
Shea maintains "it’s sad to see some of the things that are going on I just don’t think are good for our spirit as a community".
"I’ll pay $750 if it goes to the disabled community or it goes to a rest-home or somebody that needs it, not to the council."
A council spokesperson says they don’t comment on individual cases, but infringements fall under the Land Transport Act. If you don’t provide a waiver request or a declaration you weren’t the driver at the time of the offence, you have 28 days to pay up — and then another 28 following a reminder notice — after which council refers the infringement to the Ministry of Justice. "There is no option for a payment plan during [those 56 days].
"People can then set up a payment plan with the Ministry of Justice which acts as a debt collector."
