More than 95 per cent of Victoria’s COVID-19 fines have not been paid

A legal expert says he expects many of the thousands of fines issued for breaches of coronavirus restrictions will be overturned.

New data shows that more than 95 per cent of fines issued for breaches of the Chief Health Officer’s directions have not yet been paid.

Of the 19,000 fines that were issued up until end of August, only 845 have been paid in full.

Less than $1.5 million of the $28 million owed in fines has been paid.

Principal lawyer of the police misconduct team at Robinson Gill Lawyers, Jeremy King, said he expects many fines will be waived upon review.

“The government is going to spend a lot of money chasing these fines, many of which will be overturned,” he told Neil Mitchell.

“There is no doubt that may of the people who have been fined in these situations will be able to apply for special circumstances for mental health issues or just because they weren’t actually breaching in the first place.

“The fines will be overturned, it will clog up the courts, we will spend an absolute motser chasing after it and you really have to wonder ‘Is it worth it?’

“I think there’s a real question to be asked as to whether or not the fines do cause deterrence.”

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