It took Jess Brooks 21 hours to give birth, but as far as parking administrators are concerned, no one can stop moving because they have children.
When the new family appealed to (Revenue NSW), the new state finance department, they thought it would be easy to settle the matter, but the NSW finance department still ruled that the A $112 parking fine was perfectly reasonable.
On Oct. 20, Brooks and her partner drove to Newtown, to leave their four-year-old daughter at her mother's house and then went to Royal Prince Alfred Hospital to have the baby.
Brooks's amniotic fluid broke down at 6 a.m. on Oct. 21 and babies are expected to be born on the same day, so their car is allowed to park 24 hours for visitors. But due to complications, the delivery took longer than expected, and their baby, Alfie, was not born until 3 a.m. on Oct. 22.
Brooks, 33, told the Sunday Telegraph: "We didn't get to the ward until 8: 00 in the morning, so we stayed for 30 hours and we all forgot about the car." By the time we remembered the car, it was after noon, it was too late, and a ticket was issued at 11:56. "
Brooks's mother, Nicolet Nicolette, even left a note on the windshield explaining that the owner had been trapped in the hospital because of childbirth and that she had no keys to her car. "she told managers we were in the delivery room and we had the keys, so she couldn't change the new visitor parking permit, and the one the day before was on the dashboard," Brooks said.
"We appealed against the fine in writing and provided birth certificates, but the appeal was unsuccessful. It seems to me that this is intolerable because it cannot be lenient, "Brooks said.
In a letter to Brooks, the New State Department of Finance found: "the conclusion of our investigation is that fines are still applicable."
"I'm shocked that childbirth is seen as no reason for leniency," Brooks said.
But after consultation with the Sunday Telegraph, the Finance Department issued an apology and cancelled the fine.
"in view of the circumstances, we have reviewed the matter and have issued a warning, and we apologize for the inconvenience and concern caused," they said.