Read the sassy letter a council worker wrote to shut down a ‘sovereign citizen’ objecting to a $110 car park fine
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A council worker has demolished a sovereign citizen’s attempt to get out of a $110 parking fine where they refused to pay in Australian currency.
The sovereign citizen – a movement of people who refuse to recognise governments – had lodged an internal review of a fine they received for parking in a loading zone last October with Melbourne’s Monash Council.
The citizen wrote to the council that they ‘have committed no criminal offence, offended/broken no law’ – prompting a sassy four-page response from council legal officer Juan Dominguez.
A Monash Council legal officer has dismantled a citizen’s attempt to get out of a $110 parking fine for parking in a loading zone by claiming that they ‘have committed no criminal offence’
Mr Dominguez said: ‘I note that you are using a proforma letter from an internet site,’ he wrote.
He goes on to say that the person’s argument was ‘an exercise of reductio ad absurdum‘ – Latin for reduction to absurdity- by claiming that it was impossible to value Australian currency.
‘While Australian currency is made of plastic, the Australian dollar has value ascribed to it by virtue of the Currency Act 1965,’ Mr Dominguez wrote.
‘Please note it appears you are suggesting that you are unable to legally pay the penalty notice and that claim would have no basis in the law.’
The legal officer concluded that the citizen’s attempt at reductio ad absurdum -reduction to absurdity- was not bounds to overturn the fine and must pay
Mr Dominguez also hit back on the person’s attempts to put the council in a bind by forcing them to provide a proof of claim within 28 days.
‘It also appears you are under the mistaken belief that Council is somehow legally obligated to provide you with “proof of claim” within 28 days or you will consider Council to be bound by certain contractual obligations.
‘As I indicated before, you appear to be hold grave misconceptions of a variety of legal principles and in this case, I must state in the strongest possible terms, you cannot legally bind Council using such an ultimatum.’
Mr Dominguez concluded by saying that the citizen’s claim was found unjust but gave the sovereign citizen an extension of time to pay the fine.
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