Infringement Appeal

Apply for an Internal Review

If you have been served with an infringement notice, you, or a person acting on your behalf with your consent, may apply to Council for a review of the decision to service the infringement notice if you believe one of the following grounds exist:-

• The decision was contrary to law;
• The decision involved a mistake of identity;
• That special circumstances apply to you;
• The conduct should be excused because exceptional circumstances exist; and
• You were unaware of the infringement notice having been served.

A description of these grounds can be found on the 'Application for an Internal Review' Form.

An application for internal review must be in writing and must state the grounds on which the decision should be reviewed.  The application must also provide your current address.  To avoid any additional costs and further enforcement action being taken against you, a request for an internal review should be made prior to the payment due date on the infringement notice.  An application for internal review must be made before the infringement penalty and any penalty reminder notice fee are registered with Fines Victoria.  If the application for internal review is on the grounds that you were unaware of the infringement notice having been served, the application for internal review must be made within 14 days of you becoming aware of the infringement notice.

Applications for internal review should be accompanied by any supporting evidence that you have.  By providing this in the first instance, you can avoid delays associated with a request for further information or supporting evidence.

What happens next?

An internal review will be conducted, this usually happens within 90 days of receiving your application.

You may be requested to provide further information, in these cases it can take longer.

Once a decision has been made, you will be notified in writing to let you know the outcome.

On review, the reviewer can:

• confirm its decision to issue you with an infringement notice;
• withdraw the infringement notice and issue an official warning in its place;
• withdraw the infringement notice;
• withdraw the infringement notice and refer the matter to the Court;
• waive all or any penalty reminder notice fee; or
• approve a payment plan.

If the decision to serve the infringement notice is confirmed, you must:

• pay the infringement penalty;
• apply to Council for a payment plan(PDF, 366KB); or
• elect to have the matter heard and determined in Court; or

Failing to do so may result in further costs and enforcement action.

Payment Options

If you have received an infringement notice you are required to pay the infringement penalty in full by the due date to avoid further enforcement action being taken and the incurring of further cost.

There are three options to pay:-

Option 1

  PAYMENT BY DIRECT DEBIT

Pay by direct debit through:

Bank: Bendigo Bank Beaufort
BSB: 633 000
A/c No: 118310697
A/c Name: Pyrenees Shire Council

Write your infringement number in the direct debit reference

Option 2

 PAYMENT BY MAIL

Send cheque or money order to:

Pyrenees Shire Council 
5 Lawrence Street
Beaufort Vic 3373

Detach the payment slip on the front of the infringement notice and attach it to your cheque or money order.  Alternatively, write your infringement number on back of the cheque or money order.

Option 3

 PERSONAL PAYMENT TO COUNCIL

Present this notice to:

Customer Service Centre, Beaufort during office hours Monday – Friday 8.30am – 5.00pm (holidays excepted)

  Credit Card accepted (Visa and MasterCard)

  EFTPOS facilities available. 

Unable to Pay? 

You may be eligible for a Payment Plan.

If you need help paying, you can apply for a payment plan under Section 46 of the Infringements Act 2006 or a payment arrangement under Part 5 of the Fines Reform Act 2014. 

A natural person, including a child, served with an infringement notice may apply to an enforcement agency for a payment plan to pay the infringement penalty and any penalty reminder notice fee in respect of the infringement offence to which the infringement notice relates.

To apply for a payment plan through Council download an Application Form(PDF, 366KB).  This form must be lodged to Pyrenees Shire Council by the payment due date otherwise the account will be forwarded to Council’s Debt Collection Agency.  Substantial fees may apply if this action is taken and are payable by the infringed.

Electing to have a matter heard and determined in Court

Instead of paying the infringement penalty, you can elect to have the matter of the infringement offence heard and determined in the Magistrates’ Court or in the Children’s Court, if applicable. 

To request a court hearing download a ‘Request A Court Hearing’ form via this Link(PDF, 719KB) .

If you are applying for a court hearing do not make any payment.