Hunter region grapples with debt of $113 million in unpaid fines

The region accounts for more than 10 per cent of the $1.1 billion owed in unpaid fines across the state of NSW.

Cessnock is home to one of the largest debts attributable to a single postcode, with 2300 customers owing $6.6 million in fines.

The postcode of Charlestown, which is home to a similar number of people, owes almost half that, at $3,372,470, according to the most recent statistics available from Revenue NSW.

More than $4.8 million of Cessnock's unpaid fines debt is from more than two years ago, and just over eight per cent of those fines have been stayed.

Unpaid fines are often the last piece of the financial jigsaw puzzle for people experiencing financial hardship, says Salvation Army state manager for community services, Jarryd Horn.

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Mr Horn, who oversees the emergency relief component of the Salvation Army's operations in NSW and the ACT, said for people who come to the Salvos for help due to financial hardship or distress, unpaid fines often don't emerge as part of the picture until they come to counselling.

"We go through a process to see if we can help them financially and we do ask about fines and debts," Mr Horn, pictured right, said. "Sometimes they will identify that they have a state government debt hanging over them, and we can link them in with a case worker who can help lower that debt.

"It can start off with just not being able to afford the first fine, due to acute economic hardship we call it, or just the cost of living, a $210 parking fine ... but then they might have an under 30kmh speeding ticket which is about $500, and before you know it you are driving an unregistered car and there is another $700," Mr Horn said.

"It can be over a number of years, and it's not just traffic infringements."

The level of accumulated debt across the Hunter and further afield was discussed in depth at a recent meeting of partners of the Hunter cooperative legal service supported and led by Legal Aid NSW.

The partnership, one of 12 operating across the state, is an alliance of local legal and community services working to increase access to justice and improve legal and social outcomes for people experiencing social or economic disadvantage or dislocation.

Members include Samaritans, the Bungree Aboriginal Association, Hunter Food Relief, the Hunter Tenants Advice and Advocacy Service and the Hunter Community Legal Centre.

There are a range of options available to people seeking to settle their debts, according to Legal Aid NSW.

Legal assistance for fines and fine debt is available from the Legal Aid NSW Work and Development Order Service, the Aboriginal Legal Service NSW/ACT Fines Clinic and the Hunter Community Legal Centre.

"Legal assistance services offer legal advice, assistance with lifting licence sanctions and accessing work and development orders and, where appropriate, write-off of fine debt," a spokesperson said.

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Across the Hunter there are 1664 work and development orders in place which allow people to undertake sanctioned activities to shave off up to $1000 from their debts per month.

Mr Horn said some people had more than one, with about 1400 people participating in the program throughout the region.

The total value of those orders is at about $7 million owed, and so far $2.2 million in debt has been cleared, he said.

"That's pretty good,"Mr Horn said.

"Looking at the statistics, 1600 were approved, the ones that were closed with a zero balance was about 650 and the rest had an amount reduced."

The types of activities which people can sign up for can include drug and alcohol treatment programs, educational or vocational skills-based programs and training, and financial counselling.