Recent NSW Police data reveals that 2,920 COVID19 fines have been issued to children aged 10-17 years. 9News
Children in NSW are struggling to pay back COVID-19 fines, after being hit with over $2.1 million worth since July last year.
Samantha Lee, police accountability solicitor at Redfern Legal Centre, explained minors simply cannot be expected to pay."A child has as much capacity to pay a $1000 or $5000 fine using their pocket money as an ant has to push a boulder uphill," she said. Representatives from the Aboriginal Legal Service say these fines are being issued to a disproportionate number of children from Indigenous communities."Some of the children we are assisting received multiple $1000 fines in a single day," Aboriginal Legal Service acting CEO Nadine Miles said.
"The extraordinary number of fines reveals a failure by police to exercise their discretion to deal with young people appropriately," she said.The questionable exercise of police powers was a concern shared by Lauren Stefanou, coordinating solicitor of the Aboriginal Legal Service's COVID-19 legal assistance clinic. Ms Stefanou noted police chose to hand out fines despite alternatives to issue a warning or caution.
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