Get rid of CellOPark Curtin University

Parking enforcers at Curtin University have a reputation for being highly efficient and predatory. If you don’t pay for parking, you will get fined—so why do people take the risk?

The answer is they don’t. At the Bentley campus, the odds are stacked against you, and sometimes no matter what you do, you will get a fine. You’re invited to appeal them, but with a catch—if they reject the appeal they will reduce the amount of time you have to pay, leading to penalties being applied quicker. Is it worth the risk when few appeals are ever accepted?

Curtin students pay thousands of dollars to study at this University, and it is often a requirement for their education that they come to campus. They are often getting by on Centrelink or working hard to stay above the poverty line. They are faced with a parking system that preys on them, takes every opportunity to make money off of them and refers them to debt collectors with the threat of further legal action, when they are struggling the most.
Students are asking to be allowed to pay for parking, without the many barriers that the CellOPark app entails.

1. Phase out CellOPark. This app regularly charges users for premium service fees without permission, or logs them out of sessions, causing them to get fined. It is predatory and not user-friendly.

2. Reduce the cost of fines to $20. A $45 fine can be detrimental to students, especially when they are not at fault due to the CellOPark app. Curtin has absolute discretion over the cost of fines, and the deterrent does not need to be that high—Curtin University is using their captive audience, students, to raise as much revenue as possible.

3. Introduce a mixed PAYG/Permit system. A Pay As You Go system saves money for those who come to campus occasionally, but a permit system that discounts parking for purchasing for longer intervals is more equitable for students who need to attend campus more often, up to five days a week, for more intensive courses or as part of their studies