Aussie councils under fire as residents fight back against dodgy parking fines

When a parking officer slaps a fine on your windscreen, most of us grudgingly pay up and move on. But sometimes the bureaucrats get it wrong, and one South Yarra resident's cheeky response has become the talk of the town.

Toby Ralph wasn't about to let Melbourne City Council steamroll him with an unfair parking fine. When his wife was penalised for parking in a clearly marked bay she'd used for years, Ralph decided to give the council a taste of their own medicine—complete with a mock 'Mayoral Infringement Notice' for $321.60.

The parking bay in question sits on Mason Street in South Yarra, with clear signage indicating it's available for two-hour parking or unlimited use with a resident's permit. Ralph and his neighbours had been parking there 'for years and years' without issue. But when a council ranger wrongly fined his wife, things got interesting.

When councils get it wrong

Parking fines range from $102 to $204 for the 2025-26 financial year, depending on the offence [1], which represents a significant chunk of change for anyone, particularly those on fixed incomes. For pensioners managing tight budgets, an unexpected parking fine can genuinely hurt the household finances.

Ralph initially tried the proper channels, appealing to the council through official processes. The response was typical bureaucratic stonewalling—the council stated it had 'carefully considered the information' but remained 'satisfied that the fine was correctly issued.'

That's when Ralph's creativity kicked in. His tongue-in-cheek 'Mayoral Infringement Notice' reflected what he called 'the time wasted in responding to this bureaucratic twaddle.' The mock fine worked—eventually, the council admitted the mistake and withdrew three similar fines that had been wrongly issued.

Melbourne's parking fine epidemic

Ralph's experience isn't isolated. Melbourne councils have been under intense scrutiny for their parking enforcement practices, and the problems go far deeper than one wrongly issued fine.

The Victorian Ombudsman has criticised Melbourne City Council's 'overly rigid' approach to parking enforcement [2], following investigations into controversial fining practices. The ombudsman's report highlighted cases where the council maintained clearly questionable fines despite strong evidence they were wrong.

The numbers are staggering. Merri-bek Council is launching a refund scheme for motorists who received parking fines for 11 minor types of infringements from 1 July 2013 until 11 June 2025 [3]. That's nearly 250,000 wrongly issued fines worth around $12 million—money that came directly from drivers' pockets.

Perhaps most frustratingly for older drivers, Melbourne City Council fined 1,200 people who made simple errors in their parking app. As one council officer noted: 'It is not possible to tell the difference between an O and Zero on Victorian Number Plates' [4], yet drivers were penalised for honest mistakes that anyone could make.

Know your rights

The good news? You don't have to roll over when faced with an unfair parking fine. In Melbourne Victoria, 2 out of 5 parking fine appeals to council succeed [5] - much better odds than many people realise.

Seniors Card holders have automatic entitlement to request payment by instalments [6], which can provide breathing room if you're dealing with financial pressure. Many councils automatically offer three-month extensions for pensioner concession card holders [7].

The appeals process varies between councils, but most allow online submissions with supporting evidence. You can only request one internal review for each infringement, so ensure you provide all relevant information and supporting documents [8].

Technology troubles

Modern parking enforcement increasingly relies on technology that can confuse anyone, but particularly affects older drivers who didn't grow up with smartphones and apps.

Council employees now drive vehicles equipped with cameras and computers that monitor parking restrictions and issue fines automatically [9]. In-ground sensors record when vehicles arrive and depart, automatically alerting officers when time limits are exceeded [10].

For seniors dealing with parking apps, the interface can be genuinely challenging. Small text, confusing layouts, and similar-looking characters (like 'O' and '0') create real problems that councils have been slow to acknowledge.

Fighting back effectively

If you find yourself in Toby Ralph's situation, here's how to maximize your chances of success:

Document everything thoroughly. Before appealing, view photos of the alleged offence online [11] to understand exactly what the officer recorded. Take your own photos showing parking signs, permit displays, and the vehicle's position.

Write a clear, factual appeal letter. Avoid emotional language and stick to the facts. If signage was unclear, damaged, or contradictory, provide photographic evidence. If you had a valid permit or ticket, include copies.

Don't be afraid to escalate. If the internal review fails and you genuinely believe the fine was wrong, you can apply to have your matter heard in the Magistrates' Court, which gives you a chance to present evidence before a magistrate [12].

The bigger picture

Ralph's cheeky response to Melbourne City Council highlights a broader issue with parking enforcement in Australian cities. As councils increasingly rely on parking fines for revenue, the balance between fair enforcement and money-raising has shifted uncomfortably.

For older Australians, who often have more time to fight bureaucratic overreach but less familiarity with digital systems, the current parking enforcement environment can feel particularly unfair. The combination of high fine amounts, complex technology, and rigid council attitudes creates genuine hardship.

But Ralph's success shows that councils can be held accountable when residents push back with determination, creativity, and a good sense of humour.