NSW — The Iemma Government will crack down further on parking cheats who abuse the disability parking scheme, Roads Minister Eric Roozendaal announced today. "The Mobility Parking Scheme is there to make life easier for people with disabilities - not for parking cheats who don't have a conscience," Mr Roozendaal said. "Parking cheats need to get the message that we will not tolerate the abuse of a legitimate and important scheme for helping people with disabilities." Under reforms to the Mobility Parking Scheme (MPS) announced today: Council rangers will be given on-the-spot powers to confiscate MPS cards which are being misused by parking cheats A three-strikes-and-you're-out policy will be introduced for people caught misusing the scheme Improving the MPS card application form to remind doctors of their obligations under the scheme and emphasise the importance of the scheme's integrity. Mr Roozendaal said the Iemma Government had made major changes over the past two years and continued to refine the scheme to make life easier for people with disability. "These latest reforms include stronger enforcement, a tiered system of revoking passes and changes to the administration of the medical aspects of the system," Mr Roozendaal said. "On-road enforcement will be improved by changing the law to make it clear that council parking rangers may confiscate MPS cards and return them to the RTA in cases where the cards are being misused. "The need for this law change came from operations conducted jointly by councils, NSW Police and the RTA which targeted the use of MPS cards." Joint RTA, NSW Police and council crackdowns in the Sydney City, North Sydney and Parramatta areas saw more than 300 fines issued and 54 MPS cards cancelled by the RTA. Chair of the Disability Council of NSW Andrew Buchanan welcomed the reforms. He said: "I congratulate the Government on taking further action to address abuse of the Mobility Parking Scheme. We need a rigorous system of policing and penalty enforcement to bring abuse of designated parking to an end. The new powers for parking rangers are welcome and action against persistent offenders is to be applauded. "We know that most drivers in NSW understand why people with disability need the MPS. It's the comparatively small number of cheats and fraudsters who need to be caught and stopped." Mr Roozendaal said the RTA will also introduce a way to deter serial offenders whose cards are misused and revoked. Under the new scheme, the first time a card is revoked for misuse the card holder will not be allowed to reapply for another card for three months. "The second time the same offender has their card revoked for misuse, an application will not be allowed for 12 months and if the person commits a third offence, they will not be allowed to reapply," Mr Roozendaal said. "The RTA will also link MPS card applications to an applicant's medical fitness to drive if the applicant also holds a driver licence. "This has clear road safety benefits and it will also help deter those people who apply for cards based on false information about a disability. "The importance of the scheme will also be re-enforced to doctors. It will be made clear to doctors through strengthening the wording on the MPS application form that the protection of the scheme's integrity is important for the benefit of those who genuinely need it." These changes will be implemented progressively from November 2008. Previous improvements to the MPS that have been introduced by the Iemma Government recently include: Increasing the penalties for various offences involving Mobility Parking Scheme cards to $477, which is the highest such penalty in Australia. Increased on-road enforcement operations by local councils in partnership with the RTA and NSW Police. The RTA also developed enforcement guidelines to help local councils. The introduction of a hotline, 1300 884 899, to receive reports about alleged misuse of the Mobility Parking Scheme. To be eligible for a Mobility Parking Scheme card, a person must be: Unable to walk due to the permanent or temporary loss of use of one or both legs or other permanent medical or physical condition Someone whose physical condition is detrimentally affected as a result of walking 100 metres Requires the use of crutches, a walking frame, callipers, scooter, wheelchair or other similar mobility aid MPS cards are also available to people who are permanently blind. The NSW Government will continue to work with various peak disability and community groups, including the Disability Council of NSW, on further reforms to the scheme. News release - Eric Roozendaal, NSW Minister for Roads, Minister for Commerce ###