Greens announce plan to buy back car parks at Queensland public hospitals
Parking would be free for patients and staff under a $323 million Greens plan to buy back privately-owned carpark facilities at public hospitals across Queensland.
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Parking would be free for patients and staff under a radical Greens’ plan to buy back privately-owned carpark facilities at public hospitals across Queensland.
Greens Leader Michael Berkman will unveil the policy today, arguing Queenslanders were stung $13 million-a-year attending the state’s “free” public health system.
According to the minor party, there are currently 13 public hospitals in Queensland with paid carparking and seven of those were operated by private companies.
The Greens claim the buyback would cost $323 million and have promised to invest a further $500 million upgrading existing parking at hospitals.
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The policy is the latest to be funded from the party’s proposed new $55 billion slug on the mining sector.
Rather than concentrate on environmental policies, the Greens have promised free public transport, free children’s sport and free school breakfasts and lunches at public schools during the campaign as they attempt to court suburban votes.
The party is aiming to add the seats of South Brisbane, McConnel and Cooper to Mr Berkman’s Maiwar and its laundry list of giveaways will be central to any deal if Labor falls short of majority government.
Mr Berkman dubbed the high-priced fees at hospital car parks a “tax on serious illness”.
“Hospital parking fees place a massive burden on patients and their families and friends, with some people being forced to sleep in their cars rather than fork out for parking,” he said.
“Rather than making sick people pay to access public healthcare, the Greens will raise royalties on mining corporations to fund free parking for public hospital patients and staff.”