More than 33,000 people who were fined for Covid breaches will get refunds after two Sydneysiders won a landmark test case and the NSW government admitted the fines were invalid.
NSW Revenue’s Commissioner of Fines Administration Scott Johnson said on Tuesday afternoon he would withdraw all fines issued under two legal provisions during the pandemic.
All of those who paid fines for ‘fail to comply with noticed direction in relation to section 7/8/9 – Covid-19 – Individual’ and ‘fail to comply with noticed direction in relation to section 7/8/9 – Covid-19 – company’, will get refunds.
A total of 33,121 fines will be withdrawn after the Supreme Court test case – more than half of the 62,138 penalty notices issued in NSW during the pandemic.
The decision did not mean the offences had not been committed and 29,017 fines would still need to be paid, a statement issued by Mr Johnson’s office said.