Every July to August, when the first Rates Notices for the following financial year are issued with two parking stickers for those who will be paying rates, and would be factored into the costs somewhere along the line despite the ‘it’s free’ announcements, messages pop up on local social media sites – ‘have you got a pen?’ or ‘I have a spare pen – message me to get it’.
These are referring to an extra parking sticker being available which may change hands for financial gain or be given away freely. The ‘pen’ reference is to avoid being caught for doing what you’re not supposed to. With rates due quarterly, and only going up, those who do not need a second parking sticker may recoup a little they can apply elsewhere, or gift it to a family they know so their youngsters, the boards, towels, food, umbrellas and all the accoutrements of a day at the beach, may be safely taken to a beach.
Some residents who are aware when these are issued have even noticed their first ratepayers bill disappear from their letterbox – obviously for the parking stickers as we still had to pay the rates. Despite notifying the council and requesting it be reissued due to not wanting those first rates to be paid late, that rates notices was paid late after a Late Notice was sent out, the two half hours on the phone to the council time wasted. We then had to fill out a statuary declaration to have the stickers reissued for the two cars, the experience being made to feel we had done something wrong.
Interestingly, we were told the stickers now have an identifying address embedded into them so the thieves would be identified, if they showed up in a council car park using the stolen items, but heard nothing past that.
Fines for parking are a fair amount of any income stream recorded in the council's budget – over $4 million was recorded by the council last year.
Residents who are not ratepayers, and haven’t bought a sticker and get a fine, have pointed out they are less likely to be able to afford fines and have complained about this – especially when they were parking in an area they had not been aware had changed to a pay to park model.
Woorak Reserve and Iluka Park at Palm Beach is one where several people, both residents and visitors, have been caught over recent years. Even those with a ratepayers sticker must pay here – as they must at several other carparks across the area.
Compare 2011 under Pittwater Council and the NBC model at Woorak:
The NSW Government's Park'nPay app collects parking fees in Pittwater and across the state. Parking meters in Bayview Park, wheer those without the sticker must pay, are cashless and require the user to enter their vehicle registration number at the time of payment. Parking rangers can see that parking is paid for using the app, so there is no need to display a ticket.
At Rowland Reserve and Church Point, both areas of filled in estuary made solely to provide parking for cars, everyone must pay and display.
There is also an administration fee added on in many areas these are used. Under NSW parking regulations, councils are obliged to pay for the administration of parking fees and to be transparent about the full cost of parking.
The money from park and display car parking goes to the council or an authority that owns and manages the parking. The money can be used to fund parking management, community works, and other projects.
For those without the sticker wanting to visit Bayview Baths and Wharf – another area filled in by a state government and a council (but actually local workers doing the job) in order to create a place to park cars, and poorly maintained to the point where the wharf has fallen down - the Parking fees, for Bayview Park, Woorak, Pittwater Park and Church Point are currently; 1 May to 30 September (off-peak). $8 per hour or $35 per day. 1 October to 30 April (peak); $10 per hour or $40 per day at Bayview.
At Rowland Reserve it is $5.50 per hour or $24.50 per 24 hours (off peak) or $6.80 per hour or $27.80 per 24 hours (peak).
These car parks are virtually full, year round. During summer local businesses such as RSL's with carparks have employed people to monitor who is parking there so they have space left available for genuine customers.
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Residents who live offshore or at Church Point may also opt to pay for parking. This is listed in the 2024/25 fees and charges as costing:
- LGA Residents only full year permits - from 1 September to 31 August - there is no guaranteed space - per permit $619.00.
- Non-residents (outside of LGA) only full year permits - from 1 September to 31 August - there is no guaranteed space - per permit $1,260.00.
- Church Point carpark reserved parking space (Coupon) by direct debit or invoice per space per annum - $6,108.00. GST Applicable; Yes based on; Market Based Pricing.
the completed extra car park at Church Point in 2018
Additionally in high volume visitor areas, Manly of course, a 4 hour time limit is applied to ratepayer parking stickers.
There is also another especial scheme for Manlyites - the Manly Parking Permit Scheme Framework - which aims to improve parking for residents and other users in locations where there is insufficient off-street parking and where on-street parking is restricted. The Scheme was adopted by Council in 2019.
Not all properties are eligible for a permit. These include:
- Properties that have parking permit eligibility excluded as part of their consent
- Your property is not within a prescribed scheme area
- A property that is being leased or rented on a short-term basis is not eligible for parking permits (including AirBnB)
Details at; https://www.northernbeaches.nsw.gov.au/services/parking/manly-parking-permit-scheme
On January 23 2025 the NSW Government announced renters would get ‘’the same rights to beach parking permits in council areas that run two-tiered schemes favouring homeowners, under reforms proposed by the NSW Government’’.
What these reforms are exactly we, the voters, are not privy to as yet. But the ‘same rights’ announcement would mean the government wants to abolish schemes that require local renters to pay for beach parking permits while ratepayers can ‘get them for free’ in the Mosman and Northern Beaches council areas.
A ‘consultation webpage’ has already been set up on Transport for NSW’s website that states;
‘Upcoming consultation
The NSW Government has recently announced a review of the Permit Parking Guidelines.
Proposed changes relate to fairness and accessibility for tenants and apartment dwellers, equitable access to destinations such as beaches, and prioritising on-street parking for those who need it most.
Exhibition of the draft updates and public consultation will begin shortly.
Consultation resources will be available on this page. Parking authorities will be contacted directly. ‘
The page is available at: www.transport.nsw.gov.au/operations/roads-and-waterways/business-and-industry/parking-guidelines
The government’s released statement goes on to say:
‘’Mosman and Northern Beaches councils issue free parking at local beaches to ratepayers – those people who own their own property – but charge people who rent for the same permit to park at the beach.’’
‘’For example, on the Northern Beaches, homeowners are issued two free, annual parking permits to 40 local beaches whereas renters need to apply and pay $250 for a parking sticker.
Homeowners are also allowed to purchase two more permits for a total of four per household - twice as many as a rented household can access.’’
‘’In Mosman, property owners get a free access sticker to four car parks, including Balmoral and the Spit, while resident renters can purchase up to two permits for $61 each. Mosman property owners who reside in their property can also purchase two more on top of a free permit for the same price.
Casual car parking charges at beaches like Manly and Balmoral are up to $10 an hour for those without a permit and Bondi Beach is $10.80 an hour.
A third of people rent their home in NSW and the proportion of those renting is rising.
The NSW Government is alerting councils with parking permit schemes of the proposed changes and inviting their feedback.
Any change would be issued as part of an update to parking Guidelines under the Road Transport (General) Regulation 2021.
The changes are part of a suite of reforms by the Minns Labor Government aimed at ensuring access to Sydney beaches does not depend on someone’s postcode and they remain open and welcoming to all.
An update to the Guidelines in June last year requires that street parking duration is of a minimum one hour when it is combined with permit holder exemptions.
In one case, Woollahra Council had put a time limit of 15 minutes on visitors to Watsons Bay unless you were a resident with an all-day parking permit.
The NSW Government is also considering changes to the Guidelines which will stop councils excluding residents of strata units and multi-dwelling properties from obtaining residential parking permits on the same terms as other residents.'' the statement says
Minister for Roads John Graham said:
“In NSW, the beach belongs to everyone. That same egalitarianism should also extend to the beach car park.
“We do not believe a distinction should be made based on whether someone owns their own home or rents it when it comes to access to the beach. This is a fairness issue, and a cost-of-living issue.
“Similarly, drawing lines based on whether someone lives in a block of apartments or in a house also fails the fairness test.
“In Watsons Bay, we have already put a stop to a parking arrangement that was closer to speed dating than a relaxing visit to the beach and we are asking councils everywhere to consider the equity of their rules. We look forward to their feedback.’’
Although this will be interpreted as a Labor-party 'sticking up for the battlers' narrative which may create or reinstate an 'us and them' in communities, and renew the locals getting weary of paying for everyone who visits through footing the bill for local infrastructure [1.], the lack of on-street parking has been a debate for years.
Those already using the street to park their cars, and with all of us seeing streets where children could once safely play now choked with cars on both sides due to building rules which allowed one car park per one bedroom apartment, when those dwelling within may have 2 cars, and a boat and a trailer, as well as homes now supporting up to 4 cars with the youngsters growing up and getting their first vehicle, or schemes to cram thousands more people into the peninsula, with one road in and one road out, the filling of streets with cars aspect – the ‘prioritising on-street parking for those who need it most’ - will be of interest.
With those who then park their cars on a street under a tree then complaining when a branch falls onto said car, and even calling for or arranging for a tree’s destruction, at council's expense, on-street parking issues, before our roads become impassable, will attract scrutiny, especially what the definition of 'for those who need it most’ will be.
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a packed north Avalon street on a long wekend Saturday morning when people have gone away - still only a few spaces left
The mayors of both councils named, Mosman and NBC, have stated this week they had not been consulted by the Minns government on the idea, and this was yet another ‘cost-shifting measure’.
Northern Beaches Mayor Sue Heins said the proposal could cost ratepayers $500,000 a year.
Mayor Heins said she is seeking an “urgent meeting” with NSW Minister for Roads John Graham to understand how the government intends to fund the concept.
In her Mayor's Message of Friday January 24 2025 Mayor Heins states:
''This week I was alerted to a proposal by the NSW Government to provide Council beach parking permits to renters in the same way they are provided to ratepayers.
In a utopian world we’d have 240,000 parking spots available at our beaches for all our residents and no need for permits or to charge for beachside parking at all.
However, we live in the real world where there are limited spots available and the cost to maintain, clean and staff our beaches and rockpools, and surrounding infrastructure, is increasing in line with the cost to provide all council infrastructure and services.
This idea costs the state government nothing (in fact it gives them a great headline), yet once again Council ratepayers pick up the costs.
I have sought an urgent meeting with the Minister to find out his plans to cover the funds ratepayers will lose, potentially over half a million dollars a year, if this proposal is implemented. I will keep the community updated.
Next week is the first council meeting of the year where we will be considering Council's long term financial sustainability. Ongoing cost shifting from the state government is a key reason we need to be having these discussions.''
Rates and annual charges accrued $259.1 million, across all former local councils; Pittwater, Manly and Warringah, according to the NBC's latest report - Operational Plan and Budget 2024/25. User charges and fees brought in a further $76.1m, Other revenue $17.5m, Grants and contributions - Operational $22.5m, Grants and contributions - Capital $32.3m, Investments $10.5m, Kimbriki income $23.7m, Gain on disposal of assets $0.4m and other income a further $10million for a Total of $452million coming in.
The same report records $424.9m in Expenses from continuing operations minus $32.3m in Capital grant income leaves the council with a $5.1m Operating deficit.
The as yet unavailable details of the proposed changes follow on from the 2024 NSW Government changes to the recently introduced parking fines schemes wherein local rangers avoided being assaulted verbally and physically by being able to use a ticketless fine scheme.
Under the ticketless parking fine system, introduced by the previous Liberal-National Government, councils can issue fines without first giving drivers an immediate notification at the time the parking infringement is identified.
Northern Beaches Council announced on March 1 2024 it had adopted the Revenue NSW Print and Post service ''following successful uptake by 38 councils across the state.''
During the same month Minister for Finance Courtney Houssos first raised concerns with councils about the Print & Post system, saying it failed to meet community expectations.
By August 2024 Thirty councils across NSW had indicated to Revenue NSW or stated publicly they have already, or plan to, change adjust their operations to leave an instant, on-the-spot notification to drivers. Some councils stated they are unwilling to make changes unless compelled through legislative change.
The Minns Government stated it would explore next steps to ensure a consistent, fair and transparent approach for drivers.
The Government then announced on Tuesday September 17 it will take action to reform the ticketless parking fine system, ensuring drivers receive on-the-spot notifications for parking fines. Legislation to be introduced included:
- Requiring councils to attach an on-the-spot notification to a vehicle. This could be the penalty notice itself, or a short description of the offence and notice that a fine will be sent to them.
- Requiring councils to take photos of offences – even if they use the traditional ‘ticketed’ method – and make them available for Revenue NSW to provide to drivers. The photos must include images of the vehicle, relevant signage and the physical notice left on the vehicle. This will streamline the review process for any challenged fines.
- Limiting the circumstances where an on-the-spot notification is not required to be left by a parking officer, for example, where it is hazardous or unsafe for them to do so.
- Invalidating ‘repeat’ ticketless parking fines, addressing a key concern of the existing system, that drivers can be fined multiple times for the same offence before they even become aware of the first infringement.
- Introducing data reporting rules to monitor the implementation of the legislation and evaluate if any future reforms are necessary.
The requirement to issue an on-the-spot notification would not apply to a limited number of parking zones, such as enclosed parking areas that use licence plate recognition technology, and in national parks with limited mobile phone connectivity.
Ticketless parking fine reports from 2024: