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                    Walk, Talk and Chalk

                    Covered parking metre
                    Presenting stories of 'grey ghosts', 'pinkies' and 'meter cheaters', this exhibition explored the history and culture of parking enforcement in the city.

                    24 October 2007 to 15 February 2008

                    Since the late-1920s, the City of Melbourne has employed bylaws and traffic officers to keep the city moving. It's not the most popular job in the world, but someone has to do it. Today, more than 100 uniformed officers patrol the municipality, enforcing parking regulations and offering advice and assistance.

                    Parking is an emotive issue. Thinking rationally, most of us accept the need for parking restrictions and enforcement. The system keeps the city moving and ensures that parking spaces get shared around. It's just that we don't like it when we're the one who gets pinged with a parking infringement notice. For many of us, the sight of a ticket on the windscreen suddenly turns parking enforcement into an affront to our personal liberty. Parking officers surely figure among the most maligned functionaries in our city. Like umpires at the footy, they're inevitably in the firing line. At best they might be grudgingly accepted as necessary. But is this a fair view?

                    This exhibition presented aspects of the history, mechanisms and devices that have been used to regulate parking in the city. Above all, it asked the question: who are these people that enforce road rules and municipal bylaws? It invited parking officers to speak for themselves about their job, to provide insights into the hazards and attractions of life on the city streets.

                    The exhibition encouraged viewers to suspend their prejudices – and to make sure they'd put enough money in the meter.

                    Parking officers:

                    Politicians, used car salesmen, the taxman – we'd be somewhere above those guys, but probably below Miss World. – Graham McKinnon

                    You have to remember that, most of the time, they're not yelling at me personally. They might be yelling at the uniform or at the Council. But, mainly, they're yelling at themselves for making a mistake. – David English

                    Imagine if there weren't any parking officers patrolling the streets – it'd be chaos! – Jorge Contreras

                    Protesting motorists:

                    I can't think of a reason why I should give you my money because your meter short-changed me. I'm afraid if I go along with this I may as well stand in Bourke Street and drop my pants, then everyone will have a chance of getting up me. – letter to Council, 1982

                    Anyway, I'm puffing away on my smoke and I go to look back at my car which was just behind me, and what do you know? F@#! parking warden!! (Cheeky little bugger snuck up behind me.) – letter to Council, 2007

                    Curated by Malcolm McKinnon

                    Malcolm McKinnon is an Australian artist and filmmaker, working mainly in rural communities. Over the past 15 years, his work has encompassed oral history, urban planning, public and community art projects and exhibitions.

                    His current practice is mainly focused on documentary filmmaking and social history. His projects include Football Stories from Country Victoria, for the Victorian Country Football League, and Nukunu – stories of heritage & identity for Melrose Museum and the Nukunu Peoples' Council in South Australia.

                    Download exhibition catalogue

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                    Walk, talk and chalk

                    City of Melbourne parking officer's jacket 1983City of Melbourne law enforcement officer's leather jacket 1990sParking meter head 1990sHand-held ticket machine 1990sParking officer's chalking tool 1990sParking officer's chalking tool 1990sParking infringement notice pad 1935City of Melbourne law enforcement officer cloth badge 1990sCloth badge, City of Melbourne logo 1990sParking attendant badges for MCC and Princes Park  1985No standing any time parking meterParking officer cardboard cut- outNo standing any time and parking meter in glass case displayGlass case containing hand held parking ticket machine and other equipmentEquipment used by parking officersGlass case containing hand held parking ticket machine and other equipmentOld parking meterJackets in glass display casesJackets in glass display casesBadges part of displayCar stickersBy-laws cardsOld newspaper article clippingOld newspaper clippingsOld blank parking ticketsCollection of old parking tickets and guidesPhoto album part of the collectionWall photos variousTeaching notes for parking officers
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