The cost of parking at the region’s public hospitals has long been a bone of contention for Central Coast residents, with some frequent visitors to long-term in-patients chalking up huge parking bills.
The issue figured in pre-election promises from both major parties prior to the March State election, with both Labor and the Liberals pledging to abolish parking fees.
Four months after the election, there is free public parking at Wyong Hospital but paid parking is still in place at Gosford.
Member for Terrigal Adam Crouch has called on the Government to provide answers to why the introduction of free parking at Gosford Hospital has been suspended.
“Prior to the state election, I was proud to announce that a re-elected Liberal and Nationals Government would make parking free at both Gosford and Wyong Hospitals, which was also matched by the now State Government,” Crouch said.
He said, however, the Government has now suspended the introduction of free parking at regional hospitals.
“Now is the time for the Minns Labor Government to put its money where its mouth is and commit to immediate free parking at Gosford Hospital, which now appears to be another broken promise,” he said.
“It simply isn’t good enough for this government to backtrack on its promise, which the Minister for the Central Coast made in March.
“Patients, staff and visitors shouldn’t need to pay for parking at our hospitals, and the State Labor Government needs to honour the commitment to free parking at Gosford and Wyong Hospitals.”
A spokesperson for Minister for the Central Coast David Harris said the Government would deliver on its commitment to make parking free for all patients, staff and visitors at all rural and regional NSW public hospitals.
The spokesperson said free parking was currently available for staff in all public hospitals and was set to be extended to patients and family members as per the Government’s pre-election commitment.
“We stand by this commitment and will have more to say about the extension in the coming weeks,” he said.
“The NSW Government is committed to providing access and delivering high-quality healthcare to patients in rural, regional and remote communities.”
Terry Collins
This is a bit rich coming from Mr Crouch. The previous Liberal-National government redeveloped Gosford hospital which saw the privatisation and outsourcing of all of the parking to a private company. We as nurses pushed against paid parking at the time and were completely ignored by Adam Crouch and the state Liberal party. First they suppressed our wages for a decade and then they started chipping away making us pay more out of pocket, so really Adam is nothing more than a hypocrite.