Taxing the Ill Briefing paper on public hospital parking charges
DHB PARKING CHARGES: $44 MILLION IN THREE YEARS When you or a family member is sick and in need of hospital treatment, the last thing on your mind should be whether or not you have enough change for the hospital car park. Yet that it is becoming more common for District Health Boards to charge for car parks – and it seems the parking taxes are proving to be a nice wee earner for DHBs across the country. Our research reveals that the parking costs for hospital patients, their friends, families and those caring for them is around $15 million annually. The Government’s DHBs have collected $44.4 million in only three years. Hospital parking charges exploit a captive market and disproportionately hit those with the most serious medical conditions, clashing with the core values of the public health system. Of the twenty New Zealand DHBs, seven have one or more hospitals which charge patients and hospital visitors for parking. While the majority of DHBs charging for parking exist in the main city centres and surrounds, it is surprising that car-parking charges are spreading to regional centres such as Northland. Northland is a region home to a large number of people from a low socio-economic status, where health outcome issues abound and where median incomes are comparatively low. Being a region whose population is geographically dispersed over a large area means that many people will have to commute significant distances in order to obtain hospital treatment. The statistics exclude Christchurch DHB, which does not currently have car parks for patients. Those attending the DHB’s facilities have to pay the City Council for parking.
Prepared by the New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union (September 2015)
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DHB Auckland Capital & Coast Hutt Valley Mid-‐Central Northland Waikato Waitemata
Total DHB
Auckland
Capital & Coast Hutt Valley
Mid-‐Central
Northland
Waikato
Waitemata
Revenue 2012/13 $3,500,000 $2,371,344 $981,727
Revenue 2013/14 $4,000,000 $2,384,552 $1,013,801
Revenue 2014/15 $3,800,000 $2,073,572 $826,773
$1,215,154
$1,246,450
$1,251,450
$0 $2,426,333 $3,976,457
$0 $2,545,473 $4,710,997
$17,494 $2,202,026 $3,913,471
$14,471,015
$15,901,273
$14,084,786
Current hourly parking charge Auckland City Hospital: 0-‐15mins = Free; 15-‐30 = $3; 30mins-‐1hr = $4; 1-‐2hrs = $7; 2-‐3hrs = $9; 3-‐4hrs = $10; 4-‐5hrs = $11; 5-‐6hrs = $13; 6-‐7hrs = $15; 7-‐8hrs = $18. Greenlane Clinical Centre: 0-‐15mins = $2; 15-‐30mins -‐ $2; 0mins -‐ 1hr = $3.50; 1-‐2hrs = $6; 2-‐3hrs = $7.50; 3-‐ 4hrs = $9; 4-‐5hrs = $10; 5-‐6hrs = $11; 6-‐7hrs = $12.50; 7-‐ 8hrs = $15 WEEKDAY: 0-‐20 mins = free; 20 mins -‐ 1 hour = $4.00; 1-‐ 2 hours = $6.00; 2-‐3 hours = $7.00; 3-‐4 hours = $8.00; 4-‐ 5 hours = $9.00; 5-‐6 hours = $10.00; 6+ hours = $10.00. WEEKEND: 0-‐20 mins = free; 20mins -‐ 1 hour = $3.00; 1-‐ 2 hours = $4.00; 2-‐3 hours = $5.00; 3+ hours = $6.00
Concessions
Cheaper rates on weekends
0-‐20 mins = free; 20 mins -‐ 1 hr = $3; 1-‐2 hrs = $4; 2-‐3 hrs = $5; 3-‐4 hrs = $6; 4-‐5 hrs = $7; 5 + hrs = $10. N/A 0-‐30 mins = free; 30 mins -‐ 1 hr = $2; 1-‐1.5 hrs = $3; 1.5-‐ 2 hrs = $4; 2-‐2.5 hrs = $5; 2.5-‐3 hrs = $6; 3-‐4 hrs = $7; 4-‐ 5 hrs = $7; 5-‐6 hrs = $7; 6-‐7 hrs = $8; 7-‐8 hrs = $8; 8+ hrs = $8; lost ticket = $10; staff = $10 per week deducted from sallary/ wages; staff casual daily rate $3 per day; Staff casual weekly reat = $12.50 per week; Staff part time weekly rate $7.50 per week. None. Pay structure applies 24/7 0-‐60mins = Free; 1-‐1.5hrs = $2.00; 1.5-‐2hrs = $3.00; 2-‐ 2.5hrs = $4.00; 2.5-‐3hrs = $5.00; 3-‐4hrs = $6.00; 4-‐6hrs = $7.00; 6hrs+ = $8.00; Lost ticket = $10.00 Not specified Seven-‐day parking pass = $7.00; wards conditionally grant concession ticket eg for patients having day procedures = $1.50 per exit; Full time staff and contractors = $11.00 per week; Part time staff (less than 30hrs per week) = $6.50 per week; Staff with reserved parking = $24.00 per week; Multi cash cards = $3 per max 0-‐29mins = Free; 30mins-‐1hr = $1.50; 1-‐2hrs = $3.00; 2-‐ 9hrs; Student nurses (with ID) = $7.00 per week; 3hrs = $4.50; 3-‐4hrs = $6.00; 4hrs+ (maximum charge) = Volunteers, Red Cross, Emergency Services etc = $7.50 Free 0-‐30mins = Free; 30mins-‐1hr = $4.00; 1-‐2hrs = $6.00; 2-‐ 3hrs = $8.00; 3-‐4hrs = $9.00; 4-‐5hrs = $10.00; 5-‐6hrs = $12.00; 6-‐7hrs = $15.00; 7-‐8hrs = $18.00; over 8hrs = $18.00; lost ticket = $20.00; maximum daily charge = $18.00; staff pay $2.50 per day Not specified
Prepared by the New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union (September 2015)
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