Hon Louise Upston
Minister for Disability Issues
Hon Simeon Brown
Minister of Transport

29 August 2024

The Government will be cracking down on people who misuse car parks for disabled people, ensuring towage fees do not leave tow-truck operators out of pocket, and adjusting parking fines for inflation, Disability Issues Minister Louise Upston and Transport Minister Simeon Brown say.

“Increasing penalties for people who misuse mobility parking will level the playing field for disabled people by helping prevent unnecessary disruptions in their day-to-day lives,” Ms Upston says.

“Parking in an area reserved for disabled people is the epitome of arrogance. We need to get tough on this selfish behaviour, and that is why we are taking action. The current $150 penalty will increase to $750, reflecting the seriousness of this offence.

“The penalty for abusing mobility parking in New Zealand is far too low compared to other countries, like Australia. Increasing this will send a very clear message that this behaviour is not okay, and our Government is serious about addressing accessibility issues.

Regulated fees for towage and impoundment have not been updated since at least 2004 and are no longer covering operators’ costs. The Government has agreed to an inflation-based increase to the fees, to come into effect from 1 October 2024.

“Ensuring we have a parking and towing system that promotes greater compliance and enables towing operators to cover their costs will create a more efficient transport system that enables Kiwis to visit the places the want to go,” Mr Brown says.

“Towage fees have been too low for too long. This has meant that tow-truck operators are often left out of pocket for the service they provide. That’s not acceptable and is why we’re updating fees.

“Parking infringement fees have not been updated in two decades, making councils’ role in managing public parking increasingly difficult. For example, in Auckland, this has meant that paying a parking ticket is sometimes cheaper than paying for parking.

“The changes the Government is announcing today will ensure that the value of penalty infringements is inflation adjusted to support local councils with enforcement, something councils have been calling for,” Mr Brown says.

The Ministry of Transport will support local government and the towage and storage sector to implement the fee increases by 1 October.

Notes 

• Most parking infringement fees were set in 2004. The Government’s changes apply a Consumer Price Index (CPI) increase to parking infringement fees, resulting in around a 70 percent increase.
• Where fees were set post 2004, the Government has aligned the increase with similar offences for consistency.
• Towage and storage fees are being increased using a composite index method to reflect the costs of running a towage business. This has resulted in a 68 percent increase to towage fees and a 98 percent increase to storage and mileage fees. 
• Two regulations and one notice will be Gazetted today to give effect to these changes:
  • Land Transport (Offences and Penalties) Amendment Regulations 2024
  • Land Transport (Storage and Towage Fees for Impounded Vehicles) Amendment Regulations 2024
  • Land Transport (Towage Fees) Notice 2024

© Scoop Media