Free carparking at new Tweed Hospital, if Coalition returned
Patients, staff and visitors will not have to pay for parking at Tweed Valley Hospital if the NSW Liberal-Nationals Coalition is re-elected. Here’s why.
Tweed Heads
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Patients, staff and visitors will not have to pay for parking at Tweed Valley Hospital if the NSW Liberal-Nationals Coalition is re-elected.
Tweed is the largest regional hospital under construction in NSW and the project cost is put at $723 million.
Deputy Premier Paul Toole was onsite at the new campus at Tweed Heads this morning and said people in regional communities often travel longer distances as part of everyday life, including when they visit a hospital.
“The last thing patients, their loved ones and staff need is to carry the extra burden of forking out money to park when they arrive – especially when they don’t pay for parking elsewhere in that community,” Mr Toole said.
Tweed Nationals MP Geoff Provest said there will be 1200-car capacity six level car park serviced by a lift at the new site.
“I think it’s stressful enough to go to a hospital anytime, let alone paying exorbitant fees,” Mr Provest said.
“During the last election - building it on farming land - was one of the biggest issues and we persisted. I put my political career on the line to achieve it.”
The new hospital will have 430 beds and 13 operating theatres including a cardiac catheterisation lab - which will allow patients to have stints in their hearts.
Mr Provest said the new hospital would mark an “enormous increase” from the current one.
“It’s the first time we have radiation treatment for our cancer patients,” he said.
“Today has been a massive achievement. My electorate has a high percentage of pensioners and people over 65, and obviously those people are on limited incomes and cost of living is a major issue so by doing free carparking that just takes some of the strain and stress about visiting people or seeking treatment.”
The same policy will be in place for other regional hospitals including Ballina and Lismore (Byron Bay Hospital does not charge for parking).
The new hospital is set to open in late 2023.
Former mayor Katie Milne protested against the hospital being built at the site due to the loss of State Significant Farmland, but was ultimately unsuccessful.
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