ABORIGINAL drivers are issued with more on-the-spot fines than other West Australians in a “clearly disturbing” and “uncomfortable” trend that has indigenous advocates concerned racism is a factor.

According to a WA Police Force report, Aboriginal drivers received 3.2 times more fines from being pulled over than non-indigenous people but when infringements were issued by traffic camera statistics were almost even.

An Aboriginal person incurs 19.2 times more penalties for seatbelt offences than non-indigenous drivers and accumulates 6.2 times more unpaid fines.

The report, from February last year, found a “notable ethnic disparity in police-initiated traffic enforcement” but there was no conclusive evidence of deliberate bias.

“These findings are very much incomplete. While they clearly demonstrate a disparity, they cannot illuminate the reasons behind its existence,” then director of criminology Geoffrey Barnes said in the report.

“On the face of things, the imbalance between automated cameras and on-the-spot penalties is clearly disturbing.”

Dr Barnes concluded the report provided a “statistical baseline for further investigation”, which should focus on operational culture in the issuance of on-the-spot infringements.

According to the Guardian Australia, which obtained the report under freedom of information laws, WA Police Force had not made any changes because it was considered a matter for cabinet.

A spokesman for police minister Michelle Roberts told AAP the report was not commissioned by cabinet and the state government only became aware of it last week.

AAP has sought comment from police.

Aboriginal Legal Service of WA chief executive Dennis Eggington told AAP he would not be surprised if nothing had been done in the past year.

Mr Eggington said he had raised the issue with the police commissioner and suggested it should be handled internally.

“I would encourage the police not to rely on the government but to get in there and look at it themselves,” he said.

Mr Eggington agreed Aboriginal people were stopped more often than non-indigenous people.

“It’s annoying and often bordering on escalating into a confrontational position,” he said.

National Suicide Prevention and Trauma Recovery Project co-ordinator Gerry Georgatos told AAP racism was a factor.

“When I’m driving with (indigenous) colleagues … we get pulled up every single time,” he said.

“We need to take the racial out of profiling.

“What we need to do is put in place an edict – you do not pull up anyone because of the colour of their skin and you do not follow someone because of the colour of their skin.”