Voter beware

[BENT_8]

With the impending Federal election i thought i'd share an interesting experience i had today which may prevent something similar happening to any of you in future.

So to set the scene, here in SA we have a scheme within our vehicle registration system that allows for monthly direct debit payments to keep your vehicle's registered without having to remember every 3 or 12 months.
When we bought the Wifes Focus in January i put it straight on the above system and up until Friday all was ok.
Friday morning the next months payment was due to come out of my account but for some unknown reason it failed to do so and i recieved an email notifying me to contact services SA to rectify the issue.
So today i decided to pop into the local Service SA office.

I explained the email i'd received and the customer service officer looked into my account and said it was suspended due to an outstanding fine.
I was like what, i dont have any fines outstanding there must be a mistake.
Nope, you have a $510 fine outstanding from July 2018, we cant tell you any more but ring this number.

So i leave the office and get straight onto the fines dept of the SA Courts only to be told that i've incurred a fine for failure to vote at an election.
Straight away i got on the offensive because i knew this was BS.
I explained that it couldn't be right as i had voted and was told that i might have voted in the state election but forgot to vote in a federal election.
I said can you tell me which year i failed to vote in, 2018 i was told.
So with steam pouring from my ears i calmly said, with all due respects, we only have Federal elections every 3 years in this country and with one pending, dont you think it might be a little impossible for me to have failed to vote in one last year.
After a moments silence the person on the other end said, well yes, you have a point, it must be for the State election.
No bloody way i said, i know i voted because it was my Sons first time at voting and both my Wife and I accompanied him to the poll booths.
Oh well i was told, you'll either have to pay the $510 or pay us $24 to dispute it.
I said let me get this right, i have a fine for $510 for failing to vote in an election which i have witnesses who can place me in the poll booths on election day, i can either pay the fine even though i've not committed an offence, or i can pay you $24 to submit a dispute which i am unable to support with evidence other than word of mouth from my family because i get nothing by way of receipt from the volunteers at the polling booth to prove i've turned up and that they've done their job.
Thats correct i was told and that i could also contact AEC to plead my case.
So i thanked them sincerely for all their help...and rang the AEC.

I spoke with customer service officer, explained my case in detail including where i voted and with whom, they checked it all out and returned with the verdict that i was completely innocent of what i'd been accused of and that the fine would be withdrawn with zero cost to myself.

So i retuned to Service SA to explain the situation only to be told that because there was now less than 1 month until the vehicles registration expiry date they couldnt reinstate the payment plan and that i'd need to pay 3 months rego upfront to be eligible to have it put back on the plan.
So rather than pay $70 this month to contiune on as i had been i must now pay $200 which isnt a problem but when its not your fault it is certainly unfair.

Now i dont know about you guys, but from my perspective i believe that the fact you are required by law to attend a polling booth on election day and have your name crossed off their register, yet you receive no proof that you've done so and all it takes is an error on their behalf can result in you being inconvenienced as i have as farcical.
Could you imagine how much revenue they'd raise if they pulled this stunt on even 1% of the voting population.
I'll be getting a selfie with the good people from the AEC on polling day from now on.

[Woefulfogger]

Originally Posted by BENT_8

I'll be getting a selfie with the good people from the AEC on polling day from now on.

If you're gonna go that far, make sure it shows the ballot paper you only get once your name is marked off!

We used to get notices quite often. Due to family traditions I have the exact same name as my dad. If we went to different booths they would both mark the top name off the roll, so according to the boffins, he voted twice and I never did...

[Charliewool]

Mobile phone pic of ruled line through your name at polling station?

[Iggle Piggle]

Just in case this happens again, you'll probably find Putin can confirm that you voted...he could even confirm who he, sorry you, voted for.

[cheap]

Now you know why I refuse to use automated debit systems. Send me the bill and I will pay it.

[BENT_8]

Originally Posted by cheap

Now you know why I refuse to use automated debit systems. Send me the bill and I will pay it.

Fair enough, but the automated debit system wasnt the problem, the problem was I was issued with a fine which for some reason didnt get delivered to my address so when it became overdue it triggered the sanctions the government impose on your ability to access services through Service SA like rego's and licensing.
Unfortunately I wasnt made aware of the fine until my rego payment was suspended and as the system requires you to remain 1 month in advance with payments it has passed the cut off point where the only option is to preregister for 3 months and setup the plan again.

[MustangStevo63]

paying rego and having to pay a fine should have zero to do with each other, presumes guilt without recourse , ooops yeah pay $24 .....what a disgrace

[simon varley]

even if the fine was legit, why on earth would that impact their ability to take a rego payment from you? I thought Vic had some daft rules, but that's crazy.

[Junkyard-Dog]

The only thing I remember from voting last time is laughing in the face of the Greens candidate when he tried to talk to me.

[jaydee]

How dare you question the system.
Man are you going to pay for this for a loooong time, glad I'm not you.

[BENT_8]

Originally Posted by simon varley

even if the fine was legit, why on earth would that impact their ability to take a rego payment from you? I thought Vic had some daft rules, but that's crazy.

Crazy isnt it, it was introduced well over a decade ago to try to recoup the large anounts of outstanding fines in SA.
They decided that if you have any outstanding fines you havent paid or made arrangements to pay off on a plan, they take away your ability to do any business with the dept. of motor registration or ServiseSA as its now called.
This means you cant renew a licence, accreditation, registrations etc. it basically leaves you stranded or reliant on public transport unless you pay up.

I dont have a problem with them trying to make people pay up, but there should be some way to reverse the outcomes if its proven that no offence was committed.
You cant just have a text book rule and apply it without room for common sense where necessary, but this is the South Australian government were talking about here...common sense isnt high on the agenda unfortunately.
The bloke running the show is brainless, on the eve of the 2014 state election he actually said on Tv that if you wanted change for SA to vote Labor...he's was a Liberal candidate.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BJ_0Oki1Wh0

[snap0964]

In all the times I remember fronting up to a booth - I don't ever recall being asked to provide any ID.
It's been proven over the last few Federal elections that people have voted multiple times - with paper based roles and the above, easy to see why.

Nowadays I usually opt for a postal vote - cuts out a lot of the BS.

You'd think electronic voting would be the go - remembering the last census and the recent My Health records, you just know it'll be a disaster.

[383hq]

A few years ago the AEC tried that on me

I've heard a few stories that in Vic they now suspend your licence, (camera fines ensue for unlicenced driving)
If that system is the answer, I'd love to know what the original question was...

[raised by monkeys]

Not too dissimilar. F'n shambles.

https://www.abc.net.au/triplej/progr...otice/10821272

[BENT_8]

Bit of an update..

So I was made aware that if I explain to Service SA that the cessation of business brought against me was wrongly applied by the courts I would be able to ask for a consideration to enable my registration payment plan to be reinstated.
So I rang the fines unit this afternoon to make sure the fine was withdrawn as per the discussion i'd had with the AEC on Monday.
Turns out the fine has been withdrawn, excellent I thought, i'll check my Service SA account to see if the cessation of business had been lifted...
Nope, still restricted.
So I ring the call centre to see whats going on only to get told that they haven't received anything from the courts to say its been withdrawn, not only that, apparently they only give you 3 weeks from when they apply the cessation of business for you to make arrangements to pay whatever you owe or your license is suspended.
What does this mean, my license will be suspended as of the 1/3/19.
Now you might be thinking, that's a week away, whats the problem, the problem is, I leave on a cruise on Tuesday and don't get back until Saturday 2/3/19 so unless this mess gets sorted out by Monday night, i'll return to find myself unlicensed.
Why is that a problem...my license is my job, I drive buses for a crust and without my license I cant return to work.

This is a ****ing disgrace, some ****wit in a polling booth fails to do their one simple job correctly, marking my name off a list and as a result im being crucified for the pleasure.

[ford71V8]

Feeling for you Bent8.
The whole thing is bull**** and it makes me very angry that these things happen and you have to pretty much just suck it up.
When I find myself dealing with similar crap, I feel I should be able to charge the department responsible for the hours I have spent rectifying a mistake that was not of my own doing.

[simon varley]

I'm sure the intent of the law is good, but this just goes to show why knee jerk legislation should never be rushed through. Classic case of Unintended Consequences. You have my sympathy for what it's worth.

[BENT_8]

Well, another update...

So I checked my Service SA account this morning, as directed by them yesterday, to see if the courts fine unit had requested the cessation of business be lifted.
Nope, still there.
So I contact the fines unit again to see what's going on only to get told another public servant has failed to do their job properly and followed it through.
Now its not like this is a new system so they would know full well that this should be followed through and the person I spoke to today said as much.

So I just checked back and its now lifted, so I rang Service SA and low and behold my registration plan has been reinstated, a win for the little guy.

[Citroënbender]

After this, you’d still be making certain upon return, surely? Can you get a check on your own licence done at the counter of your local police station, in SA?

[BENT_8]

Originally Posted by Citroënbender

After this, you’d still be making certain upon return, surely? Can you get a check on your own licence done at the counter of your local police station, in SA?

Certainly will be, I can check my license status through my ezyreg account which i'll do as soon as I return.
I doubt there'll be any issues though as the cessation of business has been removed from my account, but stranger things have happened..

[prydey]

Originally Posted by BENT_8

I leave on a cruise on Tuesday

being a helpful kind of guy, I was going to offer to take your place on the cruise so that you could have the necessary time to stay and sort out your issue (I know, selfless aren't it), but now it turns out that won't be required. Oh well, it was the thought that counted.

[BENT_8]

Originally Posted by prydey

being a helpful kind of guy, I was going to offer to take your place on the cruise so that you could have the necessary time to stay and sort out your issue (I know, selfless aren't it), but now it turns out that won't be required. Oh well, it was the thought that counted.

What a fantastic idea, I put it to the Wife and she said it sounds good too.

So you go on the cruise with my Wife and i'll stay back in Adelaide to follow up on this mess.

Now, if you can just post a pic of your Wife so I know who i'll be spending the week with...

Oh, hang on, you meant we both stay home and you both go instead...yeah, nah.