Mobility parking permit holder Derek Cossey was incorrectly issued fines, revealing a bigger issue
Derek Cossey has “old rugby player knees”, which significantly limit his mobility.
A small relief for the 67-year-old Onehunga man is his parking permit which, when displayed in his vehicle, allows him to park in dedicated mobility spaces, or for double the time shown on time-restricted car parks in Auckland’s on-street parking areas.
But recently, he has received two infringement notices from Auckland Transport (AT) because its new automatic number plate recognition technology, used for parking enforcement, does not recognise mobility permits.
And he is not alone.
It is a “big issue” and one that “greatly concerns” CCS Disability Action, the primary provider of about 180,000 permits.
BJ Clark, of CCS Disability Action, said other councils were also using the technology, and he had been contacted by up to 30 permit holders nationwide who had been incorrectly fined.
Clark said CCS was not consulted before AT launched the technology, and the service was “desperately” trying to find a solution for its permit holders.
AT has recognised it is an issue and says it is also trying to find a solution.
‘A law unto themselves’
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For Cossey, the situation has been extremely frustrating.
Last year, he received a fine by post for exceeding the displayed time restriction in an on-street car park.
However, his permit allowed him double the displayed time, and he had moved on before that time was up.
He managed to have the fine overturned, but said it was not easy.
“It must have taken me four or six emails backwards and forwards to get them to quash the ticket.
“On top of that, it was like they were reprimanding me and saying ‘We’ll do that in this instance...’”
Then he got another ticket in the same circumstances more recently.
He has yet to have it overturned.
Emails, seen by NZME, to Auckland Transport about the ticket have gone unanswered, and the matter has been referred to debt collection agency Baycorp.
Cossey has had to explain the situation to Baycorp and hopes to get that issue resolved.
“I’ve had to go through the wringer.”
He is concerned about AT’s lack of communication in his case, saying he has asked what it is doing to resolve the parking permit issue, but has not received a response.
“They never come back and say, ‘Look, we’re really sorry that this has happened. We didn’t think about it in the first place, but we’re trying to find a way around it.’ None of that.”
“It’s just ignorance. They’re a law unto themselves. It’s so frustrating to deal with them.”
‘It is a big issue’
=============
Clark said AT had launched the technology without consultation with CCS Disability Action.
“The first thing we knew about it was when this problem started.
“It is a big issue and one that concerns us greatly.
“I’m intrigued by how the council gets away with issuing a ticket to a person who is legitimately parked. It seems to me a little bit strange.”
The service has since met AT, but Clark said an agreeable solution had not yet been found.
AT’s solution of registering number plates against a permit was less than ideal, he said.
“That sounds like a good way to solve the issue but, from our point of view, it’s not.
“We issue a permit to a person, not a vehicle number plate, and we don’t want people to be able to have more than one vehicle being permitted to use that one permit.
“It opens up the system to abuse.”
Clark said registering vehicles could also pose a problem for older permit holders who might not remember to use the right vehicles if they had multiple registered vehicles.
And permit holders visiting Auckland might not be recognised.
“It restricts the ability for people to use the permit in the way that we give it out,” Clark said.
“That is, it shouldn’t be controlled to one vehicle. It should be controlled to wherever that person is.”
The service has made other suggestions to AT, such as rolling out permits that a mounted device on the council’s vehicles could scan.
But Clark said that method would need to be developed, and there were questions about who would bear the costs.
“We are desperately trying to find a solution.”
We know this isn’t a great experience’
==============================
AT, which launched the technology in 2019, has recognised it is a “complicated situation”.
John Strawbridge, its group manager of parking services, said: “Our preference is to manage mobility spaces by a parking officer, on foot, so that they can sight whether a vehicle has a current mobility permit displayed. Sometimes the permits are hard to spot.
“However, our camera cars also issue fines to vehicles parked in a mobility spot, with or without a permit, as we do not have access to digital data on active permits.”
The issue was that the permit was for a person, not a vehicle, and the person could ride in multiple vehicles.
“We know this isn’t a great experience for mobility permit holders, and we encourage anyone who has received a fine in error to contact us to see if it warrants being waived.”
Strawbridge said AT was working on a solution that would allow Auckland permit holders to apply for a digital permit through AT’s Park app.
The e-permit would enable people to add all vehicles they intended to use to the AT Park app and switch between them.
AT has also sought access to the CCS database to confirm active permits.
“Our proposed solution will address many of the challenges experienced by permit holders and, when it’s ready to be rolled out, we will be reaching out to them to provide more information. There may be some more improvements needed, and we are committed to making continuous improvements.”
AT confirmed the first of Cossey’s fines was waived, but maintained it had not received any correspondence from him on the second.
However, after “a bit more digging”, it found his emails. It said it would review the matter and respond directly to Cossey.
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The Gospel’s Relevance Today**
The Gospel, meaning ‘good news’, is the cornerstone of the message contained in the Bible’s first four books—Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. While these records were written approximately 2,000 years ago, a natural question arises: why is this Gospel still relevant and vital for us today? This analysis seeks to explore what the Bible itself defines as the Gospel and to understand its enduring significance.
**Defining the Gospel: Core Biblical References**
The Gospel is not a vague concept; Scripture provides clear descriptions of its content and focus.
* **The Gospel of the Kingdom:** In Matthew 4:23, as Jesus begins his ministry, he is described as “preaching the gospel of the kingdom.” This immediately establishes that the good news is centrally about a kingdom—the Kingdom of God. His accompanying miracles served to validate the authority of this message.
* **The Gospel of Jesus Christ:** Mark 1:1 opens with, “The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.” Here, “Christ” is a title meaning ‘anointed one’. Thus, the good news is intrinsically about Jesus: his identity as the Anointed One and his unique status as the Son of God.
* **The Gospel of God’s Grace:** In Acts 20:24, the Apostle Paul speaks of his mission to “testify the gospel of the grace of God.” Grace signifies an undeserved gift. This reveals that the Gospel involves a gift from God, offered not because it is merited, but out of His benevolence.
* **The Gospel of Salvation and Peace:** Romans 1:16 declares the Gospel is “the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes,” breaking down barriers between Jew and Gentile (Greek). Furthermore, Romans 10:15 calls it the “gospel of peace,” pointing to a future state of peace brought about by this message.
* **The Gospel Summarised:** 1 Corinthians 15:1-4 provides a foundational summary. Paul reminds believers of the gospel he preached, “by which also you are saved.” He then states its core historical facts: “that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures.” The Gospel is therefore rooted in the sacrificial death and resurrection of Jesus.
In synthesis, the Gospel is the good news of **salvation and future peace in the Kingdom of God**, made possible by **the grace of God** and **the obedient sacrifice of His Son, Jesus Christ**, and offered to all who believe.
**Old Testament Foundations: The Gospel Preached to Abraham**
A crucial question is whether the Gospel is confined to the New Testament. Scripture shows its foundations were laid much earlier. Galatians 3:8 states explicitly that “the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel to Abraham beforehand, saying, ‘In you all the nations shall be blessed.’”
This reference points back to Genesis 12:1-3, where God made profound promises to Abraham: to make him a great nation, to bless those who blessed him, and that “in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” These promises—later reaffirmed to Isaac and Jacob—form the bedrock of the Gospel hope. The good news of salvation through Christ is the fulfillment of how **all nations** would be blessed through Abraham’s “seed.”
**The Gospel’s Personal Relevance: Good News for You Today**
How does this ancient message become “good news for you” today? The application is clearly outlined in Galatians 3.
* **Access through Faith in Christ:** Galatians 3:26 declares, “For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.” The promise made to Abraham is now extended to anyone with faith in Jesus.
* **The Role of Baptism:** Verse 27 explains, “For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.” Baptism is the God-appointed act of faith that identifies a believer with Christ’s death and resurrection.
* **Unity and Inheritance:** Verses 28-29 reveal the glorious outcome: “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.” Through the Gospel, all barriers are removed; believers become spiritual descendants of Abraham and heirs to the promises of the Kingdom.
This Gospel was once a mystery hidden in God’s purpose (Ephesians 3:3-9). Now, it has been revealed: the unsearchable riches of Christ, offering salvation to all who heed the call, believe the message, and are baptised into him.
**Conclusion: An Enduring and Open Invitation**
The Gospel is far more than a historical account; it is the living, powerful good news of God’s plan for salvation. It is rooted in promises to Abraham, accomplished through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and open to all people without distinction. It offers a tangible hope—the hope of resurrection, peace, and an inheritance in the coming Kingdom of God. This is why the Gospel remains profoundly relevant. It is an invitation to listen, believe, and stand firm in this hope, linking our lives today to the eternal purpose of God.
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