Calls for fines in Victoria to means tested

There are calls for Victoria’s fines system to be means tested, which would see those on higher incomes fork out more for offences than those on low incomes or government benefits.

But it would require serious co-operation with the federal government, according Rod Campbell, Research Director at The Australia Institute.

Finland is one country which has a scaled fines system.

“It’s a relatively complicated formula, but in the end is worked out on your income,” Mr Campbell said.

“It’d be difficult to do things like that here because income tax is done by the federal government and traffic fines are done by state governments, so there’d be some hurdles.

“But we could if we really tried.”

Press PLAY below to hear him explain how

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