Greens make free parking promise for Toowoomba Hospital patients

A major plan from one Toowoomba election candidate could see patients park at the Toowoomba Hospital for free. Here are all the details.

Toowoomba Hospital.

Toowoomba Hospital patients could be able to park at the facility for free if the Greens are elected, or hold the balance of power, after the October 31 state election.

Toowoomba North Greens candidate Alyce Nelligan said her party had a policy for free hospital parking across Queensland, including at Toowoomba Hospital.

She said this would bring much-needed relief to the community.

“As someone with a disability who has to pay for parking and accommodation for appointments with specialists in Brisbane, I understand what this means for our community,” she said.

Alyce Nelligan.

“When I was through the RBWH’s high-risk pregnancy team, I had to stay in Brisbane before my daughter Alessandra was born, and then while she was in the NICU and special care.

“It was very expensive for our family and we struggled week to week.”

Ms Nelligan said free parking would take the stress away from people who were unwell or had family members in hospital.

“Under our plan, we will reverse Labor and the LNP’s privatisation of our public hospital assets, put money back into the pockets of hardworking healthcare workers, and ensure sick people aren’t taxed for having to go to hospital,” she said.

“Rather than making sick people pay to access public healthcare, the Greens will raise royalties on mining corporations to fund free parking for public hospital patients and staff.”

Ms Nelligan said The Greens would buy back every privately owned car park at public hospitals and establish a $500 million fund to upgrade and expand public hospital parking in areas of need.

Under the plan, patients would be able to allocate their free parking to a friend or family member, with parking tickets validated by hospital reception.

This would include anyone seeking treatment at a public hospital, including outpatients.

The total cost of introducing free hospital parking for patients and staff in all public hospitals would be $323 million over four years, including $268 million to buy back the seven privatised carparks and $54 million covering lost revenue from hospital carparking fees and rent.

Ms Nelligan said the plan would be funded by The Greens’ plan to raise royalties on mining corporations, which would raise $55 billion over four years.