Queensland Fine Cheats To Have Wheels Clamped Under New Trial

THE QUEENSLAND STATE GOVERNMENT is going into the clamping business. It has announced that fine dodgers will have their cars' wheels clamped - even in their own driveways - under a new 12-month trial.

Cracking down on the state's worst fine defaulters, Attorney General Cameron Dick said that the Government would introduce new legislation which would allow authorities to lock wheel clamps to the vehicle of any debtor owing more than $5000 in fines.

The vehicles could then be sold off if the owner refused to settle the debt after six days.

The new laws would also allow authorities to suspend the drivers' licence of motorists with any fine default, regardless of the amount owed.

"The Queensland Government is tightening its grip on money owed to the state by those individuals who have broken the law," Mr Dick said.

Mr Dick said that specific details of the new legislation were still being fine-tuned, including the question of whether authorities should be allowed to enter private property to install the clamps.

"There are of course issues involved with going on people's private property to clamp their vehicles," Mr Dick told ABC News.

"But we are going to look at that, I'm not ruling it out, I must say that. That may be something that we need to do."

Mr Dick said that offenders would be given "ample warning" and the option to arrive at a payment plan with the State Penalties Enforcement Registry before clamps would be applied to their vehicles.

The trial is set to begin on January 1 2011.