Sunshine Coast residents with outstanding debts may knock on the door over the next week as enforcement agents point to the region.
A team of debt collectors will be in the region starting today, knocking on the doors of homes and workplaces.
Key points:
- SPER enforcement agents will spend next week on the Sunshine Coast collecting unpaid fines
- 25,000 people and businesses owe more than $ 50 million in unpaid fines and penalties
- The Sunshine Coast is the ninth worst region in the state for unpaid SPER debts
The State Sanctions Enforcement Registry (SPER) says 25,000 people and businesses owe more than $ 50 million in unpaid fines and penalties.
Application Director Kim Easton says officers have the power to hold tires and seize vehicles.
“Our officers are conducting operations throughout Queensland, but over the next week we will be targeting specifically the Sunshine Coast and the surrounding regions,” Easton said.
“We will normally take actions such as withdrawing money from their bank accounts, seizing wages or otherwise blocking and confiscating their vehicles.”
Easton said there were at least 50 debtors in the Sunshine Coast region who had refused to pay their fines and penalties, prompting large SPER debts.
The repression of the SPER is part of a statewide operation. (Supplied by: SPER)
“When people don’t pay their original offense or fines from, say, Queensland police, they are referred to SPER and an additional $ 75 or so is added,” he said.
“The types of debtors we are focusing on are people who have accumulated a large number of debts, usually over a very long period of time.
“They have simply made the decision not to pay their debts and therefore we are in a position where we are forced to take more forceful action.”
Debts “do not disappear”
The Sunshine Coast region has the ninth outstanding SPER debt in the state with $ 51,175,000.
Topping the list is Logan – Beaudesert with $ 145 million, Gold Coast has $ 142 million outstanding and Ipswich $ 114 million.
Cars, motorcycles, trucks, boats and jet skis are among the items that can be recovered. (Source: SPER)
Easton says the money raised will go toward paying for services and staff statewide.
“It’s definitely a very large amount of money that is owed to the people of Queensland, and SPER is committed to collecting that money,” he said.
“It pays our police and it pays our school, our roads, all our state obligations.
“It’s important for people to understand that no matter where they live, it’s important that they pay off their debts and SPER debts that just don’t go away.”
Agents will be specifically targeted at Noosa, Maroochydore, Caloundra, Nambour and Cooroy during their one-week operation.
“People will have a chance to pay off their debt to fix it,” he said.
“If they simply refuse to pay, they will face severe consequences, such as holding or confiscating their vehicles.”
SPER debt by region, April 2022
Figures rounded down | k = thousands | billion = million
RegionDebtsOutstanding debts
Logan – Beaudesert
46k
514k
$ 145 million
Golden Coast
65k
464k
$ 142 million
Ipswich
40k
381k
$ 114 million
Moreton Bay – North
25k
242k
$ 75 million
Brisbane – South
31k
230k
$ 73 million
Inner city of Brisbane
29k
195k
$ 60 million
Wide Bay
21k
158k
$ 55 million
Townsville
20k
160k
$ 54 million
Costa del Sol
24k
154k
$ 51 million
Central Queensland
18k
136k
$ 47 million
Brisbane – North
16k
155k
$ 46 million
Cairns
22k
137k
$ 44 million
Brisbane – East
16k
144k
$ 43 million
Moreton Bay – South
15k
137k
$ 41 million
Queensland – Outback
14k
107k
$ 39 million
SOURCE: SPER
Local news directly in your inbox
ABC Sunshine Coast will deliver a summary of the week’s news, stories and photos every Wednesday. Sign up to stay connected.
Posted 20 hours ago 20 hoursDay 7 July 2022 at 21:12, updated 20 hours ago 20 hours ago Thursday 7 July 2022 at 21:19