Concessional rates for COVID-19 fines

COVID-19 Fine Concessional Infringement Scheme

The COVID-19 Fine Concessional Infringement Scheme was introduced on 30 August 2022. This new scheme allows an eligible person to apply to Fines Victoria for a concession on the penalty rate for eligible COVID-19 fines. The scheme was introduced by the Pandemic Management Act. The eligibility criteria, eligible infringement offences, and the concessional penalty amounts are prescribed in the Public Health and Wellbeing Amendment (Concessional Infringement Scheme) Regulations 2022. The scheme is available in relation to fines issued for particular breaches of the public health directions for COVID-19, to adults who can show that they:

• hold a valid concession card, or
• have applied for or hold a particular kind of protection-related visa.

If a person is found eligible for the concession, their fine will be reduced to $50 for a face covering offence or to 1 or 3 penalty units depending on the offence.

Eligibility

To be eligible for the scheme a person must hold one of the following:

1. Services Australia Health Care Card
2. Pensioner Concession Card
3. Department of Veterans’ Affairs Health Care Card (Gold Card)
4. Commonwealth Seniors Health Card
5. ImmiCard issued by the Commonwealth Department of Home Affairs
6. PTV Asylum Seeker ID Card
7. An eligible Australian visa or Bridging visa issued by the Department of Home Affairs
8. Letter from the Department of Home Affairs showing that you hold or have applied for an eligible Australian visa.

Eligible visas

The eligible visas referred to above include:

1. Bridging A (subclass 010) visa*
2. Bridging C (subclass 030) visa*
3. Bridging (General) (subclass 050) visa*
4. Bridging (Protection Visa Applicant) (subclass 051) visa
5. Refugee (subclass 200) visa
6. In-Country Special Humanitarian (subclass 201) visa
7. Global Special Humanitarian (subclass 202) visa
8. Emergency Rescue (subclass 203) visa
9. Woman At Risk (subclass 204) visa
10. Humanitarian Stay (Temporary) (subclass 449) visa
11. Temporary Protection (subclass 785) visa
12. Temporary (Humanitarian Concern) (subclass 786) visa
13. Safe Haven Enterprise (subclass 790) visa
14. Protection (subclass 866) visa

*To be eligible for the scheme, the Bridging visa must have been issued in relation to one of the other visas listed above.

See Fines Victoria for further details and the application form.