‘Massive government mismanagement’: Fines Victoria crisis leaves $700 million hole in state budget

The ongoing Fines Victoria crisis has deepened, with revelations the state budget black hole caused by the fiasco may be as big as $700 million.

Neil Mitchell revealed significant problems in January 2018, after the government body adopted a new IT system.

Now, 21 months later, the situation has not improved.

“The government has again promised it is being fixed and investigated, well they’ve been telling me that for two years!,” Neil said.

“It is not getting better. It is a massive failure by public service management.”

Port Phillip mayor Dick Gross revealed the crisis has resulted in almost $22 million in uncollected fines in his municipality.

“It’s really serious for us,” Mr Gross told Neil Mitchell.

“How hard can it be?

“Debt collection … is socially complicated, legally complicated, but you would have thought that getting a computer system to speak to itself should be easily solvable!”

The council is considering legal action against Fines Victoria.

Sharna Kalms is one of the hundreds affected by the fiasco.

She lost her licence for drink driving in July last year, and now she’s worried the Fines Victoria problems will prevent her from getting it back in court today.

“The court fine, I haven’t been able to pay it,” she told Neil Mitchell.

“I’ve called Fines Victoria multiple times without any result.

“Every time I call they say I don’t have any fines, sorry we can’t do anything to help you.”

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