Furious residents of a far north Queensland town are considering action over claims a speed camera on a main road generated almost $300,000 in fines.
However, the state government has hit back, saying drivers caught speeding need to learn their lesson.
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The unmanned camera on Malanda Atherton Rd in Malanda, with a population of about 2000, 590 fines for 363 drivers in recent months, according to local state MP Shane Knuth.
It’s led Knuth and his constituents to question the accuracy of the camera, with one resident claiming she was fined five times in a week.
Townspeople are reportedly considering fighting the fines in court.
The Katter’s Australian Party MP has called on Transport Minister Mark Bailey to provide evidence that the camera has been shown to be accurate.
“We don’t believe he has the documentation to prove that the machine was correctly calibrated,” Knuth said earlier this month.
“We have written letters, provided him with hundreds of short statements from those with speeding fines, asked a number of questions and spoken to the issue.
“Still, he continues to evade us and fails to provide proof that the speed camera was calibrated correctly.”
‘No evidence’
Bailey told parliament on November 14 that there was no evidence to suggest the camera was inaccurate.
“My advice from the department is when we put in these speed cameras, they are carefully calibrated. There is a very clear procedure,” he said.
“There is no evidence provided to me by any person to suggest that hasn’t been the case.
“If someone has (evidence), I’m happy to look at it.
“To simply say that people have been fined and therefore there’s something wrong with the camera, is not an evidence based submission to me.”
He said drivers caught speeding should accept their punishment.
“Speeding is a killer on our road and is a killer at three times the rate in regional and rural areas than urban areas,” he said.
“I understand some people have been caught speeding and have attracted a fine.
“They need to learn the lesson that speeding is not acceptable on our roads.”
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