Both WA and SA have seen heated public debates over
the past few months over the cost of parking at hospitals, with state
government parking fee rate rises in WA in particular receiving significant
negative backlash from the general public as well as the opposition party.
You can read more about the Health Department’s
proposed 73% increase in public hospital parking fees by 2014 as reported by
The West Australian here.
According to Adelaide Now, the first announcement by
SA’s new premier, Jay Weatherill relates to the rollback of public hospital car
parking fees, which will now apply only after two hours of free parking.
Whilst charging for car parking often causes tension
between councils, property owners and drivers, there is no more emotional
battleground than when personal health is involved. Fees charged in public
hospitals have been a significant topic of political debate in the UK this year
(leading to the advent of the British Parking Association’s ‘Hospital Parking Charter’), as reported by Parking World in June 2010. The groundswell of public
opinion behind the election campaign of Jay Weatherill was no doubt influenced
by this issue.