Data from NSW Revenue shows that the number of fines in Walgett has jumped to a six-year high.

The data shows over 1,000 fines issued in Walgett in the 2021-22 period totalling nearly $500,000; 177 were from COVID.

Over the 2022-23 period, the number of fines in Walgett increased again from 998 to 1069, both years significantly higher than any of the totals in the five years previous.

Zoe Sands from the Dharriwaa Elders Group said, "It's been shocking to see how much one small community can accumulate so much fine debt".

The amount of debt people in Walgett owe is now $1,157,461.

Zoe Sands. Image: UNSW.

Rebecca Reeve from Yuwaya Ngarra-li said the fines were "another financial burden to the community" and said it was extraordinary that a shire with such a small population would have so many fines.

This year's new fines come after Walgett had the highest rate of COVID fines, where six people out of every 100 were fined for COVID breaches.

"COVID fines were issued to people experiencing homelessness, family violence or had severe mental illnesses. The fine review system was simply not accommodating this," explained Ms Reeve.

"It's just a symptom of what we know about the hyper-criminalisation of the Aboriginal community.

"These fines are under less scrutiny; they are not required to prove the offense, and there are fewer rights," she said, explaining that people are led to believe that it is an advantage to them that the matter is not being decided in court.

Rebecca Reeve. Image: The Conversation.

"It all adds to further entrenched and to over-criminalised groups".

"We were meeting clients every day in our practice…who were telling us about the impact of the fines economically. We were also COVID public health orders, but this was also coming up on their charge sheet," explained Lauren Stefanou - Principal Solicitor, Justice, Policy and Projects Practice at the Aboriginal Legal Practice NSW/ACT.

Another player in the matter, Redfern Legal Centre, has filed a NSW Supreme Court application seeking the withdrawal of a COVID fine on the grounds of invalidity.

Following the first Supreme Court case in late 202233,000 COVID fines were withdrawn and 29,000 remain.

Ms. Sands explained that the fines meant that clients who needed government services were "avoiding interactions with government agencies because of their debt."

Image: ABC.

She said the fining was a response to "Inadequate infrastructure and over-policing."

Ms Reeve said the overall fine debt had actually dropped from last year because the Dharriwaa Elders Group had assisted many in getting involved in their work-development program where people can work off debt.

NSW Police have been contacted for comment.