Campbelltown Council to seek federal government to reallocate $15m to expand free parking at hospital

Campbelltown Council is to push for $15m in federal funding – originally promised for a car park – to expand free parking at Campbelltown Hospital and provide cost of living relief.

Aerial images of Campbelltown Hospital after the completion of the new clinical services building in 2022. Picture: Craig Willoughby SKYview Aerial

A federal MP will push for funding to alleviate paid parking pain at Campbelltown Hospital but cautioned a sustainable long-term solution was needed.

Campbelltown councillors carried a motion led by former mayor George Brticevic to call on Macarthur federal Labor MP Mike Freelander to support calls for a 2019 $15m election promise for a commuter car park for Macarthur train station to be redirected to alleviate parking fees and cost of living pressures at Campbelltown Hospital.

Free carparking for Campbelltown Hospital staff was introduced in April 2020, as part of the NSW Government’s moratorium on paid parking for staff at public hospital car parks in response to the Covid-19 pandemic, and remains in place.

Macarthur MP Mike Freelander said on Wednesday morning he was against charging staff or patients for parking at Campbelltown Hospital and had long advocated on the issue.

He said long term measures to address both the parking and also transport issues needed to be proposed to ensure a sustainable solution.

Aerial images of Campbelltown Hospital. Picture: Craig Willoughby SKYview Aerial

“We are dealing with a disadvantaged and vulnerable population,” he said. “People often have to travel long distances and we don‘t have great public transport access so I would like to see better transport and parking options.

“Parking should be free and I will continue to advocate for it.”

Dr Freelander said the current federal government had to “repair the damage” of the previous government when it came to a lack of transport infrastructure and issues regarding parking costs.

He would not be drawn on whether the specific $15m previously allocated could be allocated to this issue.

Push for $15m cash injection to expand free parking at hospital

During Tuesday night’s council meeting, Mr Brticevic said “let’s get that federal money back”.

“What better way than if it’s not going to be there than bring it to the hospital to create free parking for all the staff and the patients,” he said.

Mr Brticevic noted that the state and federal Labor MPs for the region stood with health workers to lobby the Coalition, but asked what action they had taken since getting into government.

“They were there when they were in opposition but where are they now,” he asked.

Labor councillor Darcy Lound said the change in amendments was a “total kind of backflip”.

“We have gone from the state government to the federal member,” he said. “I think it is a little bit of a political stunt at best.”

Another Labor councillor Karen Hunt put forward an amendment asking council to acknowledge the advocacy of Mr Warren and Dr Freelander.

“For all that time, the former mayor (Mr Brticevic) never once in my memory stood alongside Mr Warren or Dr Freelander … to go against the state Liberal government to go against the paid parking,” she said.

Countering Ms Hunt and Mr Lound, Mr Brticevic said while he did not attend rallies at the time, he did work with the union to organise meetings with council to find parking solutions.

He said as a first responder and public service employee he also had to be careful as he was constrained by their policies.

The notice of motion was moved and carried by Campbelltown Council.

Call to suspend hospital’s paid parking for staff

A South West Sydney Local Health District spokeswoman said the temporary arrangement of free parking was still in place at NSW public hospitals.

“All staff are eligible for a parking permit,” she said. “There is a waiting list for staff to receive a permit which is reviewed fortnightly.”

However, SWSLHD would not confirm when this measure would end.

When the issue first arose in 2021, Mr Warren joined residents who were up in arms after the parking had been free for decades.

Greg Warren outside Campbelltown Hospital.

But now, Mr Warren claimed the situation was “out of their hands” with the car park now operated by private contractor.

Mr Warren said he had already been in discussions with the new health minister and would be advocating for ways to assist health workers, whether that was in the form of subsidies or other measures.

“I have discussed with Ryan Park already measures such as subsidies that could be put in place to help out those workers,” he said.

George Brticevic and Secure Parking have been contacted for comment.