No Christmas Cheer as Hospital Parking Revenue Soars

new-zealand-first-party

Fri Nov 13 2015 13:00:00 GMT+1300 (New Zealand Daylight Time)

No Christmas Cheer as Hospital Parking Revenue Soars

Friday, 13 November 2015, 10:20 am
Press Release: New Zealand First Party

Hard-pressed hospitals are so financially stressed that parking revenue is needed to plug National’s funding shortfall, says New Zealand First.

“Last financial year, the seven District Health Boards that charge for parking, raked in $15.1 million. Since July this year that figure is $2.54m, and counting,” says Health Spokesperson Barbara Stewart.

“There’s no option but to pay – it’s the last thing on your mind when you need to go to a hospital.

“For Northlanders, who didn’t have to pay until last year, the DHB generated almost $98,000 in parking fees but this has exploded to over $123,000 since July.

“If malls can offer limited free parking for shoppers, surely hospitals can do the same?

“Hospitals are taxpayer funded so Kiwis are, in effect, being ‘double taxed’ by having to pay parking fees. This needs to change. The government has to fund our hospitals properly,” Mrs Stewart said.

Collated Official Information Act answers:

DHB

Parking Revenue 2014/15

Parking Revenue 2015/16 YTD

Northland

$97,773.78

$123,811.70

Waitemata

$4,725,957

$856,244

Auckland

$3,816,000

$571,000

Waikato

$2,657,909

$478,415

MidCentral

$422,932

$92,424

Capital and Coast

$2,410,753

$423,352

Hutt Valley

$979,145

TBC

$15,110,469.78

$2,545,246.70

ends

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