Victoria Announces Inquest Into Myki Fines After Complaints Skyrocket

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Published

January 12, 2016

Public transport in Victoria is a funny thing.

The tradeoff for a wide-reaching train, tram and bus network is being stuck with the much shat-upon Myki system. For those blissfully unaware, the smart ticketing system is notorious for being expensive, unreliable, unaccountable and plain ol’ confusing for newcomers.

Those factors mean it’s a lot easier than it should be to accidentally hop on public transport without paying for it, and if one of the state’s Authorised Officers finds you haven’t “touched on” for your trip, you’re likely up for a fine.

Read: the Dumbest Way To Die is actually succumbing to total confusion, frantically trying to remember if you’re actually in the clear.

The fines come in two flavours: one is a quick-hit, on-the-spot $75 with no chance to appeal. The second, if you’re willing to make a case for yourself, comes in at $223 if you’re still found liable.

If that sounds a bit shit to you too, the Victorian Ombudsman might soon be backing your opinion up. The authority is going to investigate just how fair those fines are, following a ridic increase in complaints. ABC reports there was a 43% jump in the number of people riling against the penalties and how they had been issued.

The investigation comes after last year’s revelation the peak public transport authorities in Victoria had zero clue if the Myki system as a whole is actually working; previously, Minister for Public Transport Jacinta Allan bandied around the idea of scrapping the lesser fines altogether.

After all, things don’t need to be more difficult for the PT-catching public out there.