Free parking: Yarra Council hands out staff perk, sparking claims of green hypocrisy

The City of Yarra has long boasted about its green credentials but one of its staff perks has been revealed to be anything but environmentally friendly.

Yarra Council has handed out free car parking for hundreds of staff for the past eight years. Picture: Kylie Else

Yarra Council has handed out free car parking for hundreds of staff for the past eight years, forgoing vital revenue, clogging up suburban streets and flying in the face of the council’s green credentials.

The council’s parking policy, set in 2016, allowed for staff to receive annual permits at a cost of $250, to park in car parks and streets near their work.

But the payment policy was not enforced and no money was paid, the Herald Sun can reveal, sparking claims of council hypocrisy.

Many staff at Richmond Town Hall are given free parking.

The policy actively encouraged workers to drive their cars to work, a source said.

“This from a council which is taking parking away like they are in Fitzroy North, and telling us to go vegetarian and cycle everywhere.’’

Most of the council staff park near the main office at Richmond Town Hall on busy Bridge Rd.

The oversight could have cost the council up to $500,000.

The council in July passed its Climate Emergency Plan which included calls for residents to go vegetarian and to use public and active transport more.

A council spokesperson said Yarra had “historically made some provisions for staff parking’’.

“These historical permits are being phased out. Since 2016 we have more than halved the number of permits.’’

Yarra staff cars parked in a Collingwood residential street.

The council has reduced the allocation of staff parking permits from 452 in 2016 to 166 in April.

Resident Sharon Harrison, a candidate in next month’s council elections, said parking was a major concern for ratepayers.

“Councillors voted to remove angled parking for residents, voted to increase the price of parking permits and told us to get rid of cars to save the environment.

“Now we hear that council officers have given out free parking permits to staff for years.

“One rule for them and a different rule for us. Could they be any more hypocritical?’’

In 2016, the Herald Sun reported Abbotsford residents were angry at Yarra staff working at Collingwood Town Hall were taking up street parking in their neighbourhood.

Collingwood residents Paul Seivers and Anya Kudlicki in 2016 raised concerns about council staff taking parking spots in Park St.

Yarra has also reduced its passenger vehicle fleet – from 182 to 123 since June 2023.

And the organisation also runs a PTV’ Commuter Club so staff can buy an annual Myki pass at a reduced rate.

Yarra’s latest annual report stated that it employed 1562 people – with a full-time equivalent of 900.