Almost $4m in fines collected from people leaving NZ

Almost $4 million in fines was collected from people wanting to travel in the last financial year.

The strategy to pick up defaulters at airports started in September 2006.

It allows the Ministry of Justice to catch people with unpaid reparation or fines if they are travelling overseas or returning to New Zealand.

In the 2007/08 year $3.9 million was collected and 83 people stopped in New Zealand's international airports, Secretary for Justice and chief executive Belinda Clark told the justice select committee today.

The collection figure may include people who paid up through the Pay or Stay phone line.

An additional $1m was collected in unpaid fines through joint operations with the police at road checkpoints.

In total the ministry collected $233m in fines and infringements. The gap between the value of fines imposed and resolved was down to $32.3m, from $62.4m in the 2004/05 year.

- NZPA