Kiwis' unpaid fines reach record $800m

New Zealanders owe enough in unpaid fines to hire 16,000 police officers, 20,000 hospital nurses or 24,000 junior teachers. Photo / Glenn Jeffrey

The amount of unpaid fines owed by New Zealanders has topped $800 million for the first time.

That's enough to hire 16,000 cops, 20,000 hospital nurses or 24,000 junior teachers.

Latest figures show that the total at June 30 was $806 million, up almost $23 million on the same point last year.

The 20 worst defaulters owe more than $4.5 million between them.

The total bill is owed by almost 550,000 individuals, groups and companies and includes court costs and extra fees incurred for non-payment.

The worst offender remains a 57-year-old man, believed to be living in Brisbane, who owes more than $1.8 million from 41 Customs and traffic fines dating back to 1996.

Four of the top 20 worst defaulters are companies and only one is a woman - a 52-year-old from Taupo who owes $77,018 for one fine from 2006.

The other defaulters are men aged 23 and 53, who have hundreds of unpaid fines. Two are believed to be in prison, two in China and one in India.

Ministry of Justice collections unit spokeswoman Melanie King said it could be difficult to recover payments from companies and people who were in prison or overseas.

Payment from companies could be seized only from income or assets.

An arrest warrant was usually issued when a person with unpaid fines moved overseas.

"This can result in that person being arrested on return to New Zealand, at which time payment in full is sought."

King said prisoners with fines were "placed on hold" until their release but officials would consider enforcement action if they failed to make arrangements to pay in full.

Enforcement action includes payment plans, property seizure or court-ordered imprisonment.

The ministry shares information with Customs and immigration services, so people with unpaid fines can be stopped leaving the country.

In the year ending June 30, 10 people had been stopped at international airports in New Zealand. That was down on the 20 from the previous 12 months and 15 the year before that.

King said some people were spoken to at airports but allowed to continue with their travel.

A spokeswoman for Courts Minister Georgina te Heuheu said while the total value of fines owed increased each year, so did the amount resolved because more people paid, or were forced to by the Courts.

* Unpaid fine cases in 2009

Auckland: Jonathan Marshall, 24, has $47,000 in unpaid parking fines wiped in return for a four-day-a-week curfew.

Gore: Adam Moffatt, 27, is ordered to appear in court over unpaid fines of $46,635 after finishing three months' home detention for alcohol-related charges.

Hastings: Jamie McColl, 34, has $13,000 of fines wiped and is sentenced to home detention after attacking a court fines official's home.

Whangarei: James Moase, 18, is sentenced to two months' jail over fines worth $52,515 for driving breaches handed out by police since 2006.

Whangarei: Jade Colcord, 25, has three months' community detention for breaching community work and unpaid fines of $16,945.