WOMEN'S AND CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL

Ms SANDERSON (Adelaide) (15:37): Car parking at the Women's and Children's Hospital for staff and patients is impossibly difficult. There are the lucky few who are able to afford the high car parking fees and who arrive early enough to get a park, but many people are forced to park on the street and often far away.

In May 2010, I attended a meeting at the Women's and Children's Hospital for a tour of the renal unit. When entering the car park at 9.15am, I noticed that I had to travel almost to the top as the car park was almost full. When I went back to the car park at approximately 10.30, the car park was signed as full. I have had inquiries to my office from parents of sick children who have parked on the street, possibly due to the car park being full, who then received a fine as they could not leave their sick child in order to move their car in the allocated time. I am sure that on the radio this week many of us would also have heard of the family who were fined whilst they lost their baby. Something must change—and it needs to happen soon.

The cost of car parking has further been exacerbated by the recent doubling of car parking fines, as instigated by the Labor state government and implemented by the Adelaide City Council. What we are not thinking about here is the difficulty placed on the parents of sick children who have to park far from the hospital and often have to carry a sick child to the emergency room. I have heard from patients that the very expensive parking is almost full by 10am and that parks in the area are for only up to two hours. This causes parents to have to leave during a consult, which is not always possible, for example, if only one parent is with the child.

In addition, admissions are done at 11am, which is after the main car park is often full. Patients who have been under sedation or anaesthesia are also not allowed to use public transport due to the risk of their needing urgent medical attention; thus, parents are forced to drive. The hospital is also currently being expanded and will provide more services, so parking will only get worse.

I have heard from several staff members who work at the Women's and Children's Hospital who have no choice but to park as far away as Barton Terrace to get long-term parking. Staff work shifts and thus, unless you start early in the morning, the car park is usually full. Staff have indicated that they are walking quite long distances to their cars late at night, which is very dangerous, particularly as there have been several incidents of robbery and assault occurring in the surrounding Parklands.

Staff are turning up late due to the inability to get a park, and after 10am it is quite common for staff to call whilst waiting in the queue to get a car park. I have even heard of one staff member having to wait 45 minutes to get a park in the paid car park. Staff have been required to make up time if they are late or lose pay if they are casual. Lack of staff due to lateness can also delay treatment for patients, and staff are now leaving home up to 30 minutes earlier to spend time looking for a car park. Many park in the two-hour parks and risk the fine (which has doubled recently), and staff parking has around a two-year waiting list.

In September 2010 I met with the CEO of the Women's and Children's Hospital and, among other things, discussed the potential to extend the existing car park to accommodate both staff and patient needs. Although the Women's and Children's Hospital owns the car park, the concern was that the Labor state government intended to take over the car parking asset. Given the anticipated parking issues with the expansion of Adelaide Oval and the recent $30 million in federal money for the Adelaide Oval, I think it timely to call on the state government to expand the Women's and Children's Hospital car park, either using federal or private investment money.

Unlike the car parks planned at Adelaide Oval, this one will be used night and day all year round, not just when football and cricket is being played at Adelaide Oval. The Women's and Children's Hospital could negotiate with the SMA or private enterprise for the money to expand the existing car park. I have already had several offers from private investors wanting to put money towards this project as it is common knowledge that car parks are a good investment.

I have also inquired with the Adelaide City Council regarding the development plan for the area, spoken to engineers to get opinions on whether the structure could be built on and have generally canvassed the idea. The general consensus is that this could be done. This would help patients, staff, cathedral parishioners and sporting fans and take the pressure off the suburban streets of North Adelaide leaving parking available for residents and people using local businesses.

Preliminary investigations show that the cost is an average $750 per square metre to build a multistorey car park in Adelaide. This works out to around $15,000 per car park. Ultimately this is a simple matter of common sense where we are able to fulfil the needs of many and, most importantly, the needs of South Australian families with sick children. Now all we need is a Labor government prepared to listen and to make it happen.