1,000 signatures reached
To: South Australian Government
Keep hospital car parking affordable!
Car parking fees for most major metropolitan hospitals will increase from 1 January next year, courtesy of the Marshall Liberal Government.
The massive increase will affect hospital workers and the general public with workers being slugged up to an additional 129% and the public an extra 20%.
We call on the Marshall Liberal Government to keep hospital car parking affordable and reverse this draconian decision to increase fees.
Why is this important?
This is an unacceptable financial burden to impose on hospital workers – many of whom are already low paid and in insecure work. Hospital workers are part of a 24-hour, seven-day workforce that cannot rely on public transport.
A cleaner who works 25 hours per week in a major metropolitan hospital currently pays $561.34 per year in parking. Now they will be expected to pay an additional $725 per year whilst only taking home $663.25 per week in wages. These costs are untenable for the workers providing essential services in our hospitals.
The general public can also expect to pay 20% more to attend a metropolitan hospital. Visiting a loved one in hospital is stressful enough, without needlessly adding financial barriers. Those that need to attend hospital regularly for treatment will also now have to bear increased costs when they are trying to recover.
Charging hospital workers, the sick or injured and their families to attend a hospital in the name of Government revenue-raising is a disgrace.