The report highlighted that some fines reached as high as $5,000. Children have limited to no ability to pay fines, and burdening them with overwhelming debts only sets them up for future struggles,” she expressed.
“This is particularly concerning as fines are disproportionately issued by law enforcement to vulnerable children who are already facing socio-economic and other disadvantages.”
CEO of Aboriginal Legal Service, Karly Warner, called for a reform of the outdated and unfair fines system.
“Aboriginal communities demonstrated exceptional care for one another during the COVID-19 pandemic, yet our children suffered more due to the government’s harsh enforcement of public health orders,” she emphasized.
Jonathon Hunyor, CEO of the Public Interest Advocacy Centre, added, “Imposing huge debts on children and families only exacerbates their disadvantages and erodes trust in the system.”
Police Challenges During COVID-19 Response: Inquiry
Meanwhile, the Police Federation of Australia (PFA), representing 65,000 police officers, including over 17,000 in NSW, raised concerns in response to the federal government’s COVID-19 Response Inquiry.
“While it is typically the responsibility of employers, in our case, the police forces, to provide such equipment, there was no national plan for responding to this crisis,” the association pointed out.
The submission also mentioned the impact of the pandemic on police resources and community perceptions of police in various high-profile incidents.
“The increased workload during the COVID-19 period had an impact on the AFP, particularly frontline officers who had to enforce mandated restrictions,” the AFP stated.
“Individually, policing during the pandemic raised the risk of officers contracting the virus through interactions with the public and potentially spreading it to their families and friends.”
