Westfield Knox paid parking: Staff fuming over new charge

Employees at an eastern suburbs shopping centre feel “insulted” they will soon have to pay to park at their workplace, with new fees on the way for staff and shoppers.

Paid parking is coming to Westfield Knox, as part of its $355 million redevelopment.

Employees at an eastern suburbs’ shopping centre feel “insulted” they will soon have to pay to park at their workplace.

More than 700 people have signed a petition against Westfield Knox’s paid parking plan, set to be implemented from June 8.

Under the new parking system, staff will get the first four hours of parking free, before being charged $5 a day.

According to Seek the average annual salary for retail sales assistant jobs in Australia ranges from $50,000 to $60,000 – staff at Westfield Knox who work five days a week now stand to lose $1200 of their salary each year on parking.

Customers will get the first three hours of parking free, or four if they are a Westfield Plus member.

Shoppers who stay between three and three and a half hours will be hit with a $5 fee, with the rate climbing to a maximum of $35 for those who stay more than six and a half hours.

The charge makes it more expensive to park at Knox than Eastland, which charges $3 for up to three and a half hours and The Glen, which also charges customers $3 if they park between three to four hours.

Westfield Doncaster charges customers $6 to park for three to three and a half hours.

Boom gates and electronic signs have already been installed in various entrances across Westfield Knox ahead of the changes next week.

Westfield members will receive free parking if they enter after 6pm, ensuring they exit before 6am.

People with an accessible permit will be able to park for free.

The paid parking coincides with Westfield Knox unveiling the next stage of its $355 million redevelopment next week, including 20 new and returning retailers, a number of community initiatives including a full-sized NBL basketball court and nature inspired outdoor kids play space.

But staff are not happy about having to pay for parking.

“Westfield Knox has just announced that staff will have to pay for parking starting soon, along with customers, after decades of it being free for everyone,” the petition reads.

“While this practice is not that uncommon, it seems rather insulting to charge the workers of the shopping centre who actually keep it running and bringing in the customers.

“The rate will be $5 a day for parking over four hours, however, almost no worker’s shift is less than that, so this free period will almost never be useful during a work day.”

The petition also notes designated staff parking areas have been limited to the most distant locations, including ‘The Cage’ on the eastern side of the centre.

“To be charged for parking so far away from work seems almost criminal, with no cover from the weather when walking back to your car late at night from working in the Ozone.”

Westfield Knox paid parking sign

Briony Burke, who works full-time five days a week at Games World at Westfield Knox, said

paying $5 a day to park would soon add up.

“That’s $50 out of my budget a fortnight just to be able to come to work,” she said.

“Every single day I have to pay, I will never have a short three-hour shift.

“It would be different if it was $5 or $10 a week but every day is a bit different.

“Especially with the cost of everything at the moment – $100 a month is similar to what I pay for car insurance.”

Ms Burke said full-time staff already poured a lot of money into the centre.

“Most people do their groceries and go to the food court – we’re already putting money into the centre.

“That $5 (for parking) is what someone could spend on a coffee or lunch.

“Some people might say ‘It’s only $5’ but it adds up.”

Westfield Knox trader Briony Burke, from Games World, is disappointed about having to pay for parking.

Koh from Twisted Sista cafe, said she was furious about the paid parking plan and believed staff shouldn’t have to pay.

“I’m working six days a week and I don’t have that money (to pay to park),” she said.

“No-one (in the centre) is happy.

“We are working hard and our bosses are paying a lot of rent so we shouldn’t have to pay.”

Nikita Smith from Lollyology said it was pretty rare for any employee at the sweet store to have a shift under four hours, so all employees would have to pay $5 a shift to park.

“It’s really frustrating,” she said.

“I know a lot of people have to pay for parking – I know nurses have to pay for parking so it’s the norm, but I don’t think you should have to park where you work.”

Koh from Twisted Sista cafe.

Brad Dixon from men’s clothing store Johnny Bigg was also fuming about the paid parking plan.

“For us full-time employees it’s $5 a day or $1300 a year,” he said.

“The award rate full-time salary for a retail store manager is about $52,000 a year – 2.5 per cent of my annual salary will be spent on parking.

“And after tax it will be about 3.1 per cent of my salary.

“That is paying just to be at my workplace – it doesn’t even cover getting to my workplace, or maintaining my vehicle.

“In a world where interest rates are going up, supermarket prices are going up, Westfield feels they can take a piece of the pie.

“But how much pie is there? There is only so much pie to go around.

“It’s a joke – it’s disgusting.”

Mr Dixon said his store had been impacted greatly by the Westfield Knox renovations, with a big drop in sales and constant construction noise in the background for the last 12 months.

Westfield Knox trader Brad Dixon says staff should not have to pay to park.

John Scopas, from beloved Westfield Knox business Royal Donuts, said the paid parking plan was “one of those unfortunate things”.

“In a perfect world – I’d prefer it if I went to a hospital and I didn’t have to pay (to park) there,” he said.

“I visit dying people and the hospitals are charging me to park there.

“In a perfect world I wish everything was free

“But the truth is the first four hours are going to be free for the public.

“And not many people stay longer than four hours and it’s $5 a day for us (staff members).

“I’d rather not (have to pay) but I’d rather not with everything.

“It’s just one of those things- I actually find it more wrong that hospitals charge.”

In a statement Westfield Knox said the new parking management system would use licence plate recognition and guidance technology to make it quicker and easier for customers to find a park.

“The majority of customers will continue to park for free, with a free parking period of up to three hours available to all customers and up to four hours for Westfield members.”

New stores including Gorman will open at Westfield Knox next week.

Shopper Judy Pearce, from Kilsyth, said she would make sure she was out of the centre in under three hours to avoid having to pay for parking.

But she said she wasn’t impressed with the centre upgrade so far.

“Admittedly we haven’t been here since before Covid but we used to come on a semi-regular basis and we’re disappointed,” she said.

“It’s not Knox Shopping Centre anymore.”

Fellow shopper Mel Mills, from Bayswater, said she normally didn’t spend more than three hours in the centre so the paid parking would not impact her.

“I more feel for the ones who work here,” she said.

She said the new redevelopment looked great and had been much-needed.

Shopper Joey West, from Boronia, said she didn't believe paid parking was needed at the centre.

“It’s not the most high-end area – there are people here who don’t need that expense in their life.”

The new stores to open at Knox next week include Gorman, All About Eve and Dangerfield, with Forever New, Decjuba, Factorie and Ally returning.

There will also be new-look Neverland and YD stores.

Other new additions include outdoor adventure retailer Macpac, premium lifestyle and US streetwear retailer Stateside Sports, interactive bikes from Trek Bikes, and running experts ASICS.

Kathmandu and JB Hi-Fi will relocate from Ozone, while Rebel will open its largest ‘rcx’ (rebel Customer Experience) format store in Victoria focusing on interaction and immersion.

A new-look KX Pilates will also open its doors along with cafe Moon & Spoon.

Following input from the community, a full-sized NBL basketball court will also open.

“The innovative communal space will be managed in partnership with local basketball association, Knox Basketball, and will see junior teams use it for training, competition games and clinics during the school holidays,” Westfield Knox said.

The new Westfield Knox basketball court.

“Children will be able to test their skills on the giant leaf-shaped climber and big tree net in the new outdoor kids play space inspired by the local environment of the Dandenong Ranges.”

Customers will be able to access all-gender amenities on level 2 and a calm room on level 1, and artwork by indigenous artists the Young family and Brook Andrew.

“This next phase of the development is a significant milestone in the broader transformation and takes us one step closer to delivering a world-class retail social and lifestyle destination for Melbourne’s east,” Westfield Knox centre manager Kristian Nicholls said.

To celebrate the launch, customers can experience live music and roaming entertainment, sporting personality meet and greets, and a ‘Hello Knox’ activation showcasing the latest retailer arrivals with an array of member giveaways from June 8.

The basketball court will come alive with basketball competitions, shootouts and giveaways through the Knox Basketball Association and new basketball app DIME.