Fine defaulters owe millions to State Government

Great Southern fine defaulters are responsible for nearly $5 million of unpaid debt to the State Government.

Figures obtained by the _Albany Advertiser _from the Department of Attorney General this week revealed 3568 people owed about $4.5 million in unpaid fines.

Of those, 407 people without payment plans owe more than $2000 totalling more than $1 million.

The same figures showed Goldfields-Esperance defaulters owe almost $10 million, while Kimberley locals owe $15 million.

The figures come after Corrective Services Minister Joe Francis announced a crackdown on fine defaulters converting unpaid dues to a short jail sentence.

Member for Albany Peter Watson said while the numbers were disappointing, sending defaulters to jail was not the answer.

"Because it costs a lot more to put them in jail than it is to cut out the fine," he said.

"For the fine defaulter, they get $250 off their fine each day, but the taxpayer is paying $95 each day for the prison term."

Mr Watson said defaulters could work in the community if they were unable to pay their fines.

"There must be a better way to do it - get them to come out and work in the community," he said

"There's plenty of community work that needs to be done."

A department spokeswoman said the new enhanced enforcement measures applied Statewide.

"Fine defaulters in the Great Southern can already be named and shamed on a State Government website," she said. "Wheel clamping and licence plate removal have not yet been trialled in the Great Southern.

"However, these measures may be used in regional areas, including the Great Southern, in the future."