In late 2019, these little buttons appeared on the bluestone kerbs of Clarendon Street. Each one numbered and corresponding to a parking spot in the free one-hour zone outside the shops.
Our council normally heralds any of their "enhancements" to the area with a blustery blast on their own bugle. Something will be leaked to The Sun or The Age, or there will be a self congratulatory article in Divercity (what happened to that periodical by the way?).
On Clarendon Street, surprisingly, nothing was said, there was no change in the parking signs, no leaflets given to shopkeepers to explain the change to their customers. These discreet steel lozenges just appeared miraculously by dawn's early light.
We all are aware that parking fines are not a source of income for Council, they are a way for Council to control irresponsible behaviour from car users. Granted, there is a meagre dribble of revenue for Council, but that is a sideline. It is all about the community living together. But, if it was about money, this would be a very lucrative little metal money magnet.
Now, if you are foolish enough to overstay by one minute, the parking officer will see (on his hand held device) that you are immediately entitled to a $91 pink slip. Surely that was always the case you say. Stay over an hour and get a ticket (though crikey, I didn't realise they were getting on for near a hundy each!). Forget about chalk marks on the tyre, they are so yesterday. What has changed is labour, no one has to come around and mark your tyres, and no one has to check for those marks (less staff) and many more tickets are handed out. Yes, any bean counter would give this scheme 10 out of 10 for revenue generation, and maybe a rather high ranking for sneakiness as well.
At the end of the day, it must be just a little bit about money for Council. Once they acknowledge this, then what is the pay off between promoting a pleasant community experience and growing a lucrative income stream for our Council to spend?
At this stage, it appears that Council believes that it will build the "Community of Port Phillip" by issuing ever more infringements.
- Jimmy Olsen
