Revenue from parking fees at Wollongong Hospital has jumped by 80 per cent in a year, according to the Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District's (ISLHD) annual financial statement for 2024-25. Drivers paid a total of $3.48 million in parking fees, up from $1.935 million the previous year, marking the highest income from parking in at least a decade.
The increase is the third-highest proportional rise among NSW's metropolitan health districts, behind Sydney and Northern Sydney. Wollongong Hospital's multi-storey car park is the only fee-charging facility in the district.
An ISLHD spokesperson attributed the surge to the post-COVID recovery, noting that during the pandemic, revenue was lower due to limited hospital visits and paused surgeries. Free parking for staff was temporarily introduced but reinstated from 1 February 2024, significantly boosting revenue.
The district said it aims to balance parking costs with the needs of patients, visitors, and staff. Despite a 2023 state government pledge to introduce free parking at regional hospitals, Wollongong, John Hunter Hospital, and Gosford Hospital were excluded, with officials citing their proximity to public transport.
Keira MP Ryan Park, Minister for Health and the Illawarra, stated that parking revenue is reinvested into the local health district. He noted that post-COVID parking patterns differ, and free staff parking had crowded out patients and carers. Park, who previously called hospital parking fees a 'sick tax', acknowledged community concerns, including a case where a nonagenarian couple had to park on the street due to lack of spaces.
The financial statement predates the July 2025 fee increase, which raised hourly rates to $8.30 (up from $8.10) and daily caps to $24.70. Concession card holders receive free parking for up to three hours, while staff pay $28.80 per week full-time.
