PARKING STING

Hospital staff told to ‘salary sacrifice’ so they can park at work

NURSES at Gold Coast University Hospital have been told to “salary sacrifice” to ensure they don’t have to move their cars every two hours when new parking zones come into effect on Friday.

About 2500 Queensland Health staff have been told the only guarantee of a park was to pay a concession fee at the expensive private parking facility.

The concession rates for staff are not advertised. However, patients and their families can pay $16.50 for more than three hours.

NURSES fear they will have to leave every two hours during hospital shifts to move their vehicles due to the lack of longterm parking options around the Commonwealth Games Village.

The Bulletin can reveal Queensland Health staff at Parklands have been told the only guarantee of getting a park was the expensive private parking facility used by patients and their families.

Staff have been advised “the only way of a guaranteed park is to salary sacrifice” to obtain a concession spot at the car park.

But nurses were advised by the parking management that “we are nearing the cap for designated staff parking through salary sacrificing, once that figure is reached a waiting list will be established for applicants”.

The concession rates for staff are not advertised but daily parking for patients and relatives can cost between $6 an hour and $16.50 for more than three hours. The twohour zones at the Gold Coast Health and Knowledge Precinct and other Games hot spots will take effect from Friday, and be enforced between 9am-5pm on week days.

Opposition health spokesman Ros Bates, who has fielded complaints from health staff, said: “I’m concerned for the safety of these hard- working staff, many of them women and the impact these new car parking arrangements will have on patient care. How can these nurses do their jobs properly when they are worried about running out to move their car every two hours?”

Management has advised staff that if they do not pay for Secure on-site parking they must make alternative arrangements.

Five recent GC2018 travel information sessions for staff were attended by more than 700 employees and an internet page created for health workers.

Staff were encouraged to reduce their travel during the Games, drive outside of peak hours, avoid congested roads and consider using a bike.

A Gold Coast Health spokesperson said management were aware of the potential impact on staff who were not paying for on-site car parking.

“Beyond the introduction of the City of Gold Coast’s Traffic Area Parking Permit Scheme, we also know our staff and facilities will be impacted by changes to roads and public transport during the Commonwealth Games,” the spokesperson said. “This is not unique to Gold Coast Health. Having an international event like the Commonwealth Games in our city is a once-ina lifetime opportunity and we are proud to be a part of it.

“We are working closely with our staff to minimise the impact on them. We continue to work with the team at Get Set for the Games to ensure access to our facilities for our workforce, patients and visitors.”

THE situation nurses find themselves in at Gold Coast University Hospital reeks of irony.

They are asked to save lives every day for little financial gain. However, when it comes to a row over where they will park during the Commonwealth Games, very few are prepared to stick their neck out for them.

Revelations today that nurses will have to move their cars every two hours during shifts or cough up concession fees at the expensive private parking facility when new zones come into effect late this week has ripped the scab off a long-festering wound.

It started when the State Government decided to privatise parking when building the new hospital and worsened with the evolution of the Health and Knowledge Precinct, Commonwealth Games Village, light rail and hockey stadium.

Frontline heroes like nurses are the lifeblood of any community yet they have been let down by three levels of government who have been unable to come up with a proper parking plan.

To expect poorly paid nurses to pay for parking or move vehicles while they are trying to help the needy is unfair.

They deserve better.