Summary Proceedings Act 1957, ss 88AE(1), 106E
The powers to sentence you to community work or community detention and to cancel (remit) some or all of your fine can be used together, so that the community work or community detention sentence replaces your fine. A community work sentence has often been used in place of unpaid fines (see below).
The court can take this action on its own initiative, or you can apply to the court to have your fines replaced with community work or community detention.
Summary Proceedings Act 1957, s 106E(5); Sentencing Act 2002, s 69C
The judge or community magistrate can’t substitute community detention for your unpaid fines unless a pre-sentence report has been prepared for you (see the chapter “The criminal courts”) and the Sentencing Act restrictions on using this sentence are complied with.