Sheriff takes tough stand on debts
The WA Sheriff’s Office is confident it has the resources to clamp wheels and remove licence plates as it chases millions in unpaid fines in the South West.
Attorney General Michael Mischin has announced the Sheriff’s Office will start using “enhanced measures” for recovering fines in the region totalling $13.2 million from May 5.
This will include the wheel clamping of vehicles owned by people or businesses who owe more than $2000 in fines to the State Government.
The clamps would be removed after the defaulters paid the money or organised a time-to-pay arrangement.
The Sheriff’s Office is based in Perth and will have to send teams to the South West to chase the fine defaulters.
But the Department of Attorney General is tight-lipped about the details of the operations.
“The officers will be accommodated in various locations over a set number of days in the region, ” a spokeswoman said.
“The vans are fully equipped with clamps and associated equipment so that officers can undertake all enforcement activities while in the region without having to return to Perth.
“For operational reasons, the department will not reveal specific details such as when and where these activities will take place.”
The enhanced measures have been used in the Perth area since last year and Mr Mischin said the measures were reviewed before they were used in South West.
A publicity campaign, titled ‘Pay up before we clamp down”, will hit the media from Monday before the changes come into effect.
He said the measures would be trialled in the South West and Peel regions before they were used in the rest of the State.
“Every dollar that is owed by people who have broken the law and refuse to pay that dollar is a dollar that can be applied to others things for the benefit of the taxpayer, ” Mr Mischin said.
A list of the worst fine defaulters is published on a Government website.
A Bunbury company owes more than $167,000 in fines.
