State Member for Wallsend, Ms Sonia Hornery MP, will today debate a Notice of Motion in the NSW Parliament, asking the Health Minister to continue free parking for hospital workers.
Earlier this year, Health Minister Brad Hazzard MP, announced that parking at hospitals would be free for all hospital workers during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Hospital workers have raised concerns with Ms Hornery that the free parking is likely to be withdrawn in coming weeks.
Ms Hornery will call on the Health Minister to continue the successful free parking scheme for all NSW hospitals.
“Our hospital workers are on the frontline of our battle with COVID-19 and we need to do whatever we can to support them during this difficult time,” Ms Hornery said.
“It’s not just the doctors and nurses who are treating and testing COVID patients, but the cleaners, caterers, the admin staff, the parking attendants, the security, the engineers and the tradies who are turning up to work every day to keep the health system running.
“This is a difficult and unprecedented time and we need to be doing everything we can to ease that pressure on the family budget. Now is not the time to be making money off people who are dealing with a health crisis.
“We should be showing our appreciation for all indispensable frontline workers in NSW hospitals by continuing the free parking for staff.
“I recently met and spoke with workers and they have told me how their morale has been lifted by the implementation of free parking for staff at hospitals.
“This is a stressful time for our hospital staff, who are doing vital work to keep the community safe and this simple gesture goes a long way to show staff they are supported during this health crisis.
“There is still a long way to go to defeat the COVID-19 virus and we need to do all we can to ease the burden on our hospital workers who have performed above and beyond.
“I look forward to the Government supporting the Motion,” said Ms Hornery.