Whats wrong with this state ?
MASSIVE increases in speeding fines, driver's licence costs and water fees will kick in from July 1.
While costs for public transport tickets and motor vehicle registration charges will increase only modestly, those caught exceeding the speed limit will be whacked with fines up to 28.6 per cent higher.
Drivers exceeding the speed limit by less than 15km/h will now pay a $252 fine, up from $196.
A breach of 15-30km/h will attract a $371 fine, up from $312, while fines for those travelling more than 40km/h above the speed limit will be $523, up from $468.
Treasurer Jack Snelling said he was comfortable with drivers who broke the law being further penalised, while denying it was simply a revenue-raising measure.
"No one would be happier than me to not raise a single cent from fines from speeding drivers," he said.
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"Road accidents cost millions and millions and millions per year.
"I'm quite comfortable with these measures."
Driver's licence renewal fees will jump from $140 to $185 for a five-year term - a 32.1 per cent increase - with the same increase, to $370 from $280, for a 10-year licence.
Mr Snelling said this increase was a result of last year's Budget and there was not the financial breathing room to unwind it.
The average residential water bill will increase by 40.3 per cent, from $469.60 to $658.70, to pay for the Government's desalination plant. Treasurer Jack Snelling has already indicated consumers can expect a similar increase in the following year also.
Motor vehicle registration fees would increase by between 3.9 and 4.3 per cent while the standard compulsory third-party premium would increase by 2.7 per cent.
For a four-cylinder car, this would mean an increase in annual fees from $578 to $595 - a 2.9 per cent rise overall.
Single-trip tickets for public transport would increase 2.2 per cent to $4.70 while peak-time multi-trip tickets would increase 3 per cent to $30.90.
"The annual indexation factor for fees and charges has been set at 2.9 per cent for 2011-12, reflecting the average increase in the cost of providing the relevant services," Government budget documents say.
The motor vehicle fee increases are about 1 per cent above this indexation factor to fund a four-year program of road resurfacing and rehabilitation works for rural roads.