Federal challenge to get carpark done at Redland Hospital
A Federal MP has called for action on the Redland Hospital carpark with a “dollar for dollar” challenge announced today.
Redlands Coast
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Queensland Health Minister Steven Miles will “take” an offer from federal MP Andrew Laming to construct a multistorey carpark for Redland Hospital.
In federal parliament today Bowman MP Andrew Laming called for “immediate construction” of the Redland Hospital multistorey carpark.
Mr Laming challenged the Queensland Government “to go dollar for dollar with the Federal Government” on getting the car park done.
He said the State Government had “fobbed” community off with a year long study into the car park needs at the hospital.
“Parking is the worst of any hospital in Queensland,” Mr Laming said.
“Today I am saying I will come and visit tomorrow .... and I am going to ask are you serious about carparking and will you go dollar for dollar in a solution and will you please .. not take twelve months to study parking.”
“ ... you have user paid car parks ... you know the size of the hospital and the number of treatments .. for goodness sake put a tender out for a car park and stop ordering studies.”
“... fix the problem on behalf of our seniors that have to walk so far, our nurses who walk in darkness and for the buses that don’t connect, you need a carpark and decent functional public transport.”
Queensland Health Minister Steven Miles said the Palaszczuk Government was already investing $550,000 in a business case for the Redlands Hospital Carpark.
“This is the first time Laming has offered a single cent for the hospital redevelopment,” Mr Miles said.
“If he has the money now I’ll take it, if this is just a promise on the off chance Scott Morrison wins the election than it’s pretty worthless.”
“While he’s at it maybe he could chip in for the redevelopment of maternity services and the ED expansion.”
Redland City Mayor Karen Williams said council would welcome “any funding toward improving any infrastructure and encourage all levels of government to come together to find a co-ordinated way forward to getting access to the health service outcomes our community needs and deserves”.
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In November last year Queensland Health Minister Steven Miles announced the government was developing a business case for the hospital’s carparking.
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Responding to community claims that the carpark was being delayed, Queensland Health Minister Steven Miles said earlier this month the construction of the carpark had not been delayed.
“In late 2018, Metro South HHS finalised a demand study to identify the parking demand for the Redland Hospital Precinct,” he said.
“Metro South HHS is currently leading the detailed business case to look at options for increasing car park capacity at Redland Hospital.”
“This detailed business case will identify a preferred option to address parking capacity issues and is expected to be completed by the end of 2019.”
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Last week Redland City Council also called on the State Government to implement a free bus loop servicing Cleveland, marine transport hubs and Redland Hospital.
Mayor Karen Williams said she wrote to Transport and Main Roads Minister Mark Bailey, asking him to consider implementing the service to help alleviate the parking pressures at the hospital.
“There has been a lot of discussion about the hospital recently, prompting me on behalf of Council, to meet with the Minister for Health and Ambulance Services Dr Steven Miles,” she said.
“During the meeting we discussed the parking situation at the hospital and I acknowledge and welcome the Minister’s commitment to completing a car park review at the hospital, which I hope will provide relief in the long term.”
“However, a parking review won’t provide any relief for patients for a number of years and we need action now; and one simple solution is a free bus service transporting people from the Cleveland train station, Cleveland CBD and other transport hubs directly to the hospital.
“This would provide immediate relief for patients and their family members who visit them at the hospital while the parking review was being completed.”
Cr Williams said Council was working with the State on a master plan for the hospital.
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