Enforcement & Infringements

You have received a fine or infringement notice because you may have breached a local or state law, such as parking regulations, animal control rules, or public safety requirements. 

The fine is issued to encourage compliance with these laws and help maintain a safe, orderly, and healthy community environment.

You must either pay the amount owed by the due date on the notice, or choose one of the options listed in the Your Options section further down this page. 

Payment or further action must be undertaken before the due date listed on your infringement notice.

The amount you need to pay is listed on your infringement notice. Be sure to check the notice for the specific amount and due date.

You can pay an Infringement Notice fine using any of these options:

IN PERSON

Present the Notice at: 

• Council Customer Service Centre, 2-6 Churchill Ave, Bright between 9am and 5pm, Monday to Friday 
• Council Customer Service Centres at Myrtleford Library or Mount Beauty Library during opening hours. You can view our libraries opening hours here - Libraries

BY PHONE

Call (03) 5755 0555 to pay by Visa or Mastercard

BY POST

Send a cheque or money order with the Notice to: Alpine Shire Council, PO Box 139, BRIGHT, VIC 3741

You can also apply to pay by instalments or request an extension of time to pay.

The due date for payment is clearly stated on the front of the infringement notice. Typically, this date is 28 days from when the notice was issued. 

It's important to pay the amount or take action before this deadline to avoid additional penalties or further legal action.

If you're unable to pay by the due date, you can request a payment plan. Reach out to Council to explore available payment plan options and discuss a solution that works for you.

Please speak to us about a payment plan before your due date to avoid late fees.

If you do not agree with the infringement notice, you have the right to contest it. You can request an internal review or ask for a Court hearing before the due date specified on the notice.

 Be sure to check the Your Options section below for more details on how to proceed, and make your request before the deadline to ensure it is considered.

If you fail to pay the infringement notice or take any appropriate action by the due date, a Penalty Reminder Notice will be issued. 

This notice will indicate that additional costs have been incurred, increasing the total amount you are required to pay. 

It is advisable to address the matter promptly to avoid further penalties and associated costs.

You did not make the payment for the Infringement Notice by the specified due date, which has resulted in the issuance of a Penalty Reminder Notice. 

This notice serves as a formal reminder that the payment is now overdue, and it may include additional costs associated with the delay. 

To avoid further penalties and complications, we encourage you to address this matter as soon as possible by either making the payment or contacting us to discuss your options.

Additional costs are applied in accordance with Section 29 of the Infringements Act 2006, which outlines the circumstances under which extra fees may be incurred for unpaid infringements.

You must pay both the original Infringement Notice and the fees associated with the Penalty Reminder Notice by the due date. 

Alternatively, you can explore one of the options listed in the Your Options section below, provided you do so before the due date.

The total amount you are required to pay is clearly indicated on the front of the Penalty Reminder Notice. This amount includes any fees associated with the original Infringement Notice, as well as any additional costs incurred. 

It is important to review this notice carefully to ensure that you understand the full amount due and to make your payment by the specified deadline.

You can pay a Penalty Reminder Notice using any of these options:

IN PERSON

Present the Notice at: 

• Council Customer Service Centre, 2-6 Churchill Ave, Bright between 9am and 5pm, Monday to Friday 
• Council Customer Service Centres at Myrtleford Library or Mount Beauty Library during opening hours. You can view our libraries opening hours here - Libraries

BY PHONE

Call (03) 5755 0555 to pay by Visa or Mastercard

BY POST

Send a cheque or money order with the Notice to: Alpine Shire Council, PO Box 139, BRIGHT, VIC 3741

You can also apply to pay by instalments or request an extension of time to pay.

The due date for payment is displayed on the front of the Penalty Reminder Notice and is set for 21 days from the date the notice was issued.

Be sure to check this date to ensure timely payment and avoid any further penalties.

If you fail to make a payment or take one of the actions outlined in the Your Options section below, a Notice of Final Demand will be issued, which may result in additional costs. 

It's essential to address the matter promptly to avoid further financial implications.

You have not made the required payment for the Infringement Notice and the Penalty Reminder Notice by the specified due date.

You must either pay the outstanding amount by the due date or choose one of the options listed in the Your Options section below, ensuring that you do so by the specified deadline.

The total amount you are required to pay can be found prominently displayed on the front of the Final Demand Notice. This amount reflects any outstanding fees associated with your Infringement Notice and Penalty Reminder Notice, including any additional costs that may have been incurred. 

It's important to review this notice carefully to ensure you understand the total amount due and to take prompt action to avoid further penalties.

You can pay a Notice of Final Demand using any of these options:

IN PERSON

Present the Notice at: 

• Council Customer Service Centre, 2-6 Churchill Ave, Bright between 9am and 5pm, Monday to Friday 
• Council Customer Service Centres at Myrtleford Library or Mount Beauty Library during opening hours. You can view our libraries opening hours here - Libraries

BY PHONE

Call (03) 5755 0555 to pay by Visa or Mastercard

BY POST

Send a cheque or money order with the Notice to: Alpine Shire Council, PO Box 139, BRIGHT, VIC 3741

You can also apply to pay by instalments or request an extension of time to pay.

The due date for payment is clearly indicated on the front of the Final Demand Notice, which is set for 14 days from the date the notice was issued. 

This timeframe is crucial, as it specifies the last day by which you must settle the outstanding amount to avoid further penalties or legal actions. Failure to act by this due date may result in additional costs or enforcement measures.

If the matter is not resolved, the case will advance to the Magistrates Court, where legal proceedings will be initiated to address the infringement. This means that you will be required to present your case before a magistrate, who will determine the outcome based on the evidence and arguments presented. 

It is important to note that further costs and penalties may be incurred during this process, including court fees, legal costs, and additional fines, which can significantly increase the total amount owed. 

It is advisable to take this situation seriously and consider seeking legal advice to understand your options and the potential implications of going to court. Taking proactive steps now can help you navigate the process more effectively and possibly mitigate additional expenses.

To avoid extra fees or enforcement actions, it’s important to pay the total amount owed by the due date. Paying on time keeps your account in good standing and helps you avoid complications like penalties or legal issues.

For instructions on how to make your payment, please check the How to Pay section on your infringement notice. This section outlines various payment options and methods, making it easier for you to pay your outstanding amount quickly.

Taking this step will help you avoid unnecessary stress and financial burdens later on.

You may be eligible for a payment plan or an extension of time under Section 46 of the Infringements Act 2006. This means that if you are having trouble paying, you can arrange to pay in smaller amounts over time.

To find out more about your options, please contact the Council. Our team is ready to help you and can explain the payment plans available. 

We understand that everyone’s situation is different, and we want to work with you to find a solution that works for you.

If you think there is a good reason to challenge your infringement notice, you can ask for an internal review from our Local Laws team. This is your chance to explain your side of the story and provide any evidence that supports your case.

To learn more about how to apply for an internal review, please check the Internal Review section of your notice. It will provide you with step-by-step instructions on what to do next and what information you need to include.

If you would like your case to be reviewed and decided by the Magistrates Court, you can apply for a court hearing. This option allows you to present your situation to a judge who will make a ruling on the matter. 

To start this process, please contact Council for guidance on how to request a court hearing.

A natural person

A person who received the infringement notice can apply to Council for an internal review of the decision to serve the infringement notice or authorise another person to apply on their behalf

A body corporate

Authorised representatives of a body corporate can apply for internal review in relation to a fine issued in the name of the body corporate.

Authorised third party

An authorised third party must be over 18 years of age and could be a family member, a friend, or support worker.

If the third party is a lawyer or power of attorney or has other court ordered arrangements they do not need to be authorised.

You can request an internal review on the following grounds:

Contrary to Law

You believe that the fine is invalid or inconsistent with the law.

For example, you may believe that timed parking restrictions do not apply to the area that you parked in, or an officer acted unlawfully or outside their authority.

To substantiate a contrary to law claim you need to provide additional evidence:

• a statutory declaration
• photos (eg. a photo of the parking sign or lack thereof.

Exceptional Circumstances

An event that was unforeseeable and outside of your control occurred that could excuse your conduct, for example:

• a medical emergency
• temporarily parking a damaged vehicle, directly following involvement in an accident
• mechanical breakdown
• financial hardship (eg. bankruptcy or insolvency).

To substantiate an exceptional circumstances claim you need to provide documentation that supports the exceptional circumstance, including its time and date including:

medical evidence from your medical practitioner/s

invoices or receipts (eg. a receipt from a tow truck company)

• a statutory declaration
• witness statements
• photos
• travel documentation
• police statements or records
• proof of bankruptcy or insolvency.

Mistaken Identity

You were not the person who committed the offence. For example, you are not the driver who committed the parking offence (the car was stolen or driven by someone else), or your registration number was recorded incorrectly.

To substantiate a mistaken identity claim in relation to a parking offence, you need to provide documentations that supports your claim including:

• a statutory declaration that states the offence was committed by another driver
• a copy of your car registration certificate if the wrong registration number was recorded
• a copy of your car registration certificate
• a copy of the police report if your car was stolen

Unaware of Notice

You claim you were not aware that you had a fine. Reasons may include:

• you were in another location (due to being overseas or having moved house)
• your mail was stolen
• other situations preventing you from knowing about the fine.

You must make an appeal within 14 days of becoming aware of the infringement notice.

You cannot appeal under this ground if you have moved address and not notified VicRoads within 14 days of your change of address.

A successful appeal under these grounds will allow for further time to deal with the fine (which may include further review under any of the grounds above or taking any other action available upon the issue of a fine).

We will not withdraw your fine under this ground. We will only consider waiving additional costs that may have been incurred.

To substantiate an Unaware of Notice claim you need to provide documentation that supports your circumstance, such as:

• copies of date-stamped passports
• boarding passes
• removalist invoices
• mail theft reports made to Victoria Police. Further information is available at Fines Victoria - Didn't know about your fine

Special Circumstances

You may be eligible for a review based on special circumstances if you were experiencing one of the following:

• Mental or intellectual disability or illness: if the condition impacted your capacity to comprehend or control the behaviour constituting the offence.
• Serious addiction to drugs, alcohol, or a volatile substance: if your addiction significantly reduced your ability to understand or control the conduct constituting the offence.
• Homelessness: if the homelessness contributed to a significantly reduced capacity to control the behaviour constituting the offence.
• Family violence: if due to family violence, you experienced a significantly reduced capacity to control the behaviours constituting the offence. If family violence contributed to you receiving the fine, the Fines Victoria Family Violence Scheme may apply to you.
• Long term circumstances: This sub-group of special circumstances excludes financial circumstances and relates to circumstances which are particularly disabling or incapacitating in nature and result in you being unable to pay or otherwise deal with the fine.

To substantiate a special circumstances claim you need to provide evidence that links your circumstances to the fine from a:

• medical practitioner or other professional
• social worker
• drug and alcohol counsellor
• Victoria Police officer (a police report of family violence)
• a court order (family violence intervention order).

Further information is available at Fines Victoria - Special Circumstances

A body corporate cannot apply for internal review on the ground of special circumstances because those circumstances can only affect natural persons.

Complete Infringement Internal Review Application Form

To apply for an internal review; you will need to complete an Application for Review of an Infringement Notice Form

Note: You must provide evidence to support your application. It is important you provide your current address and contact details so we can contact you about your application if required. Please complete all required fields or your application will be invalid.

Give completed form to Council

You, or a person you have authorised to act on your behalf, can send the completed form and supporting evidence to Council via post or email or drop the form into the Council office.

BY POST Alpine Shire Council PO Box 139 BRIGHT VIC 3741

BY EMAIL info@alpineshire.vic.gov.au

IN PERSON Present between 9am and 5pm Monday to Friday Council Office, 2-6 Churchill Ave, Bright

You can lodge and application for internal review any time after the infringement date and before the infringement is registered with Fines Victoria Fees will apply if your application for internal review is lodged after 28 days after the infringement date

Most internal reviews will be completed within a few weeks; however, the process may take up to 90 days or longer.

When undertaking an internal review of an infringement fine, Council considers all information available to it, including:

• information collected by the officer who issued the fine, which may include photographs
• circumstances and any supporting documents provided in your application or by third parties
• requirements under the relevant legislation (for example, Road Safety Road Rules 2009, Environment Protection Act 1970, or Infringements Act 2006)

You will be notified of the outcome in writing to the postal address you provide.

If insufficient information is provided with your application for internal review, Council may request further information from you before reviewing your fine. You must submit the additional information within 28 days of the date of request.

If the additional information is not received by the specified date, Council will make a decision based on the information available.

Council will look at all of the information you have provided and make a decision. Council can decide to: 

• withdraw the fine and take no further action against you
• withdraw the fine and issue an official warning instead
• refer the matter to the Magistrates' Court (or the Children's Court if you are under 18)
• waive or vary any fees associated with the fine
• waive or vary any additional steps imposed by the fine
• approve a payment arrangement or
• confirm the decision to issue you with the fine. 

Once Council has made a decision, you will receive a notice in the mail to confirm the outcome of the internal review.

You will receive a notice that says:

• how much you need to pay and
• the due date of the payment. 

You must pay by the due date or ask to go to the Magistrates Court. 

If you do not pay the fine or take any other action (for example, request a payment extension or elect to have the matter heard at court) by the new due date, the fine will continue through the infringements process and you will incur additional costs. This process is set out in the Infringements Act 2006. 

If you are unable to make the payment in full before the new due date Council may consider a request for a payment plan.

If you want to have your matter dealt with in the Magistrates’ Court, you need to notify Council in writing addressed to the Infringements Review Officer by 

BY POST Alpine Shire Council PO Box 139 BRIGHT VIC 3741 

BY EMAIL info@alpineshire.vic.gov.au

Additional costs may be incurred if the matter is referred to court.

Fines do not just go away. If you ignore a fine, it will become more serious and costly as it escalates to Court and/or the Sheriff. Contact Council to discuss your options.