{"id":91095,"date":"2026-09-08T11:54:22","date_gmt":"2026-09-08T11:54:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/australia\/91095\/"},"modified":"2026-09-08T11:54:22","modified_gmt":"2026-09-08T11:54:22","slug":"calls-for-641-fine-refunds-after-major-road-camera-error-discovered-extremely-embarrassing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/australia\/91095\/","title":{"rendered":"Calls for $641 fine refunds after major road camera error discovered: ‘Extremely embarrassing’"},"content":{"rendered":"

Calls are growing for drivers issued fines for seatbelt offences<\/a> in the nation’s capital to be refunded, after an “administrative oversight” recently came to light.<\/p>\n

ACT government agency Access Canberra<\/a> found that while fixed and mobile cameras were certified to detect mobile phone use, the legal documentation had never been updated to cover seatbelt offences<\/a>, the ABC reported<\/a>.<\/p>\n

That’s now called into question the roughly 13,000 seatbelt fines handed to drivers<\/a> since the Territory started using the system for seatbelt offences in November.<\/p>\n

Already, some 6,500 motorists have paid their fines or had the matter resolved with Access Canberra.<\/p>\n

The penalty for a driver failing to wear their seatbelt properly adjusted and fastened is $641 and 3 demerit points.<\/p>\n

Josh Rynehart, head of Access Canberra, said the error was uncovered internally two weeks ago.<\/p>\n

But he admitted it should have been addressed before fines were issued in the first place.<\/p>\n

“The cameras are authorised for use as a traffic offence control device,” he told ABC Radio Canberra.<\/p>\n

“It’s just that the disallowable instrument didn’t include the word seatbelt.”<\/p>\n

Rynehart said infringements that had already been paid were considered settled, meaning the associated demerit points would still apply.<\/p>\n

He said the issue centred on whether the evidence was admissible in court, rather than whether an offence had actually occurred.<\/p>\n

As soon as the issue was found, Access Canberra halted seatbelt fines issued by the cameras.<\/p>\n

Rynehart confirmed the problem had now been fixed, and infringements were being handed down again.<\/p>\n

The Legislative Assembly will now consider retrospective legislation aimed at correcting the oversight and ensuring the affected fines remain valid.<\/p>\n

Have you ever been unfairly fined? Contact newsroomau@yahoonews.com<\/a><\/p>\n

\"6000<\/p>\n

6000 WA drivers have now successfully had their fines waived.<\/p>\n

(Seatbelt Fines & Road Safety Commission\/Getty)Should impacted drivers be refunded?<\/p>\n

The bungle has prompted ACT Opposition Leader Mark Parton to call for a review into the seatbelt camera system.<\/p>\n

“It puts the government in an extremely embarrassing and precarious situation,” he told the ABC.<\/p>\n

“The Canberra Liberals are just examining all options and those options do include refunds.<\/p>\n

“There is certainly a community expectation here that the government has monumentally stuffed up.”<\/p>\n

Australia’s controversial use of enforcement cameras<\/p>\n

The situation in Canberra comes amid growing debate over the use of road enforcement cameras across Australia.<\/p>\n

In Western Australia, since the state’s new AI-driven cameras went live last year, thousands of drivers have complained that they have been unfairly penalised.<\/a><\/p>\n

Almost 6,000 of the 81,000 fines issued of those were overturned following a review.<\/p>\n

In Brisbane, motorists in parking enforcement hotspots are using increasingly creative tactics<\/a> to evade a penalty on a new automatic parking detection system.<\/p>\n

In the state, an audit also found Queensland’s rules around AI use on our roads are falling short.<\/a><\/p>\n

The Queensland Audit Office found the Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR) hadn’t properly considered the risks of using artificial intelligence<\/a> or kept a close enough eye on how the systems are running.<\/p>\n

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