Patients and family members visiting our local public hospital should not be forced to pay car parking fees for the next six months, according to NSW Labor.
Currently Hunter hospitals including John Hunter Hospital is one of a number of hospital car parks in NSW that charge fees, raking in over $40 million.
Given the enormous pressure families and the elderly are already under due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the NSW Labor Opposition is calling on the Government to immediately halt all fees for hospital car parking.
“This is a difficult and unprecedented time and we need to be doing everything we can to ease that pressure on the family budget. Now is not the time to be making money off people who are dealing with a health crisis” Shadow Minister for Health, Ryan Park said.
“We need people spending their money in small businesses not topping up the Government coffers.
“We know many people in our community are facing unemployment and financial stress so let’s do what we can to ease that burden.” Labor Shadow Minister for the Hunter, Clayton Barr, MP said.
“Removing these fees may not mean that much to the Government but it sure will mean a lot to our community members during this pandemic” Mr Barr said.