Saffioti gets minor speeding fine while Cook Government staffers rack up infringements

As the WA government battles a road safety crisis, its own staffers have been racking up fines in government vehicles, including one ministerial chief of staff who was pinged twice for not wearing a seatbelt correctly.

The litany of infringements was uncovered by the opposition in response to a question from Opposition Leader Basil Zempilas in parliament in December about fines incurred by ministers and staffers since March 2025

In an answer provided to Parliament on Tuesday, the government revealed Attorney General Tony Buti’s chief of staff Wendy Pryer had received two infringements for not wearing a seatbelt correctly.

This offence incurs a minimum fine of $550 and four demerit points.

Deputy Premier Rita Saffioti’s former chief of staff Olivia Crowley was fined for speeding between 20 and 29 kilometres over the speed limit, which attracts an $800 fine and six demerits.

Saffioti was also issued a $100 fine for speeding, but the Transport Minister’s demerits remained untouched.

In the premier’s office, his chief policy adviser and deputy chief of staff were both pinged for speeding between 10 and 19 kilometres above the speed limit, which resulted in $200 fines and two demerits.

Two separate offences for driving through a red light were listed for a senior policy adviser for Environment Minister Matthew Swinbourn, but it was unclear whether it was the same adviser.

The penalty for that offence is $300 and three demerits.

A Cook Government spokesperson said all ministers and ministerial staff are expected to drive according to the Western Australian road rules at all times.

“Any fines and penalties incurred in a Government Vehicle are issued to the driver for payment,” the spokesperson said.

Speeding and seatbelt use have been a target of the WA government’s new AI-powered road safety cameras, which have been catching drivers en masse flouting road rules.

In the first month of the cameras fining drivers, it caught 12,288 for using their mobile phone, 10,285 for seatbelt offences, and 9282 for speeding offences.

Last year’s road toll was the third worst in a decade with 184 lives lost.

In December, Police Minister Reece Whitby lashed drivers flouting road rules.

“Distracted driving and people not wearing seatbelts correctly are two major factors adding to the number of lives lost on our roads each and every year,” he said.

“Our government gave Western Australian drivers eight months’ notice to change their habits behind the wheel, but some drivers are still not understanding the danger of their behaviour.

“We will continue to build on initiatives and programs that send the message that distracted driving, seatbelt noncompliance, and speeding will not be tolerated.”