First it was waived parking fines – next it’s taxi fares.

The Adelaide City Council election, due in November, has some feathers flying early with councillor Anne Moran hitting back today after weekend media reports she had more parking fines waived than any other elected member.

Moran defended the waiving of fines incurred while she was on council business, and then took the opportunity to give listeners to FIVEaa’s breakfast program a sneak preview of “next week’s story on taxi use” where the “Lord Mayor’s useage puts mine to shame”.

The dig at mayor Stephen Yarwood followed comments he’d made earlier today.

He was being interviewed after The Advertiser reported that it had been digging into council records and discovered Moran had 21 city parking fines waived between July 2012 and June 2014.

The records showed council had waived a total of 39 parking fines for elected members during the period.

Yarwood was asked about the fines and said: “With more parking fines than all the other councillors combined, the figures speak for themselves.”

Moran defended her position and then let slip that The Advertiser had told her about the Lord Mayor’s taxi use.

“I’ve paid heaps of fines; I’m out and about in the city all the time.

“To get a fine waived, you have to sign a document that states you were on business and didn’t or weren’t able to leave.

“Next week the journalist that did the story is looking at taxi use and the Lord Mayor’s useage puts mine to shame.”

InDaily understands the taxi useage is around $700 and the Lord Mayor has justification for all of it.

Moran took the opportunity to repeat her calls that council stop its hard-line stance on waiving parking fines, and cut the amount of the fines.

“The fines are ridiculously high and our waiver policy is too strict.”