[Greens-Media] Hospital parking fee rises a slap in the face for nursing shift workers: WA Greens

[Richards, Kirsten]

WA Greens spokesperson for industrial relations, Alison Xamon MLC, spoke in Parliament this week to support angry nurses who demonstrated outside Parliament over hospital parking fee increases.

Ms Xamon said the price hikes were a slap in the face for nurses who were obliged to work shifts and often had no public transport services when they needed to travel.

"Nurses are amazing people who are doing an incredible job," Ms Xamon said.

"As was said at the rally-which I have to say was one of the loudest rallies I think I have been to outside Parliament - nurses are the backbone of our hospitals. 
"Quite apart from the fact that these workers often have no choice but to drive to work and pay these ever-increasing fees, the Government has ignored the findings of a bi-partisan parliamentary report on this matter.

"The report was crystal clear with its determination that these price rises are not calculated on a cost-recovery basis, and therefore are not allowable.

"Yet the government has chosen to ignore this advice to push through these new charges.

"I recognise some workers in some locations have the ability to take convenient public transport - such as 9-5 workers in the city centre, which is generally well-serviced by public transport, although still inadequate for people living in outlying suburbs.

"But to suggest this is feasible for shift work nurses at hospitals is ludicrous.

"Other options blithely thrown out during the debate are simply stupid, such as suggesting elderly nurses after completing a 12 hour shift, ride a bike home at 3am, or arrange to be picked up.

"I think we really have to be a lot more respectful about the people we are talking about and keep in mind how valuable our nurses are to our health system.

"Slugging these valuable workers to pay for the cost of new hospital buildings is not acceptable and when it comes time for the nurses to negotiate their next EBA the Greens expect the Government to engage in good faith negotiations."


Picture: Alison Xamon supports nurses rallying against parking fee rises, outside Parliament Tuesday.