Revenue collected from parking fees at Wollongong Hospital has experienced a dramatic spike, with new financial data revealing an 80 per cent increase in just one year.
Parking revenue reaches decade high
The latest annual financial statement from the Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District (ISLHD) shows that drivers paid a total of $3.48 million in parking fees during the 2024-25 financial year. This figure is a sharp rise from the $1.935 million collected the previous year, marking the highest income from parking at the hospital in at least a decade.
This substantial increase represents the third-highest proportional jump among all metropolitan health districts in New South Wales, trailing only behind the Sydney and Northern Sydney districts.
Wollongong Hospital's multi-storey car park is the sole facility within the ISLHD that charges fees for parking.
Post-pandemic changes and staff fees drive increase
A spokesperson for the health district pointed to the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic as a key factor in the previous years' lower revenue. "During COVID-19, parking revenue was lower as visiting patients in hospital was limited and there was a period when planned surgery was paused," the spokesperson explained. They also noted that free car parking for staff was temporarily introduced during that time.
A significant contributor to the recent revenue surge was the reintroduction of staff car parking fees from 1 February 2024. The ISLHD stated it strives to find a fair balance between parking costs and the needs of patients, visitors, and staff.
Government policy and community impact
In 2023, the NSW state government fulfilled an election promise by introducing free parking at regional and rural hospitals. However, this policy did not extend to major centres like Wollongong, nor to John Hunter Hospital in Newcastle or Gosford Hospital. A government spokesperson justified this at the time, stating these hospitals were in major centres and "in close proximity to public transport."
Keira MP Ryan Park, who serves as both the Minister for Health and the Illawarra, emphasised that all parking revenue is reinvested back into the local health district, covering maintenance and operational costs for the car park itself.
Mr Park also addressed community concerns, revealing that his office had received correspondence about a couple in their 90s who were forced to use street parking at the bottom of the hill after failing to find a spot in the hospital car park in November 2023. "Feedback from the community has raised concerns free parking for all staff at major hospitals was crowding out patients and carers from accessing parking," he said.
The minister's current stance contrasts with his position in 2019 when, as opposition health spokesperson, he labelled hospital parking fees "a kind of a sick tax" and urged the then-government to consider reductions.
Current parking fee structure
The financial data precedes a statewide increase in parking fees at paid public hospital car parks, which took effect in July 2025. The current fee structure at Wollongong Hospital is as follows:
- The first 15 minutes remain free.
- Motorists parking for up to one hour now pay $8.30, up from $8.10.
- The daily fee is capped at $24.70, an increase of 50 cents.
- Concession card holders can park for up to three hours free, or pay $6.90 for a single visit.
- Staff are charged $28.80 per week for full-time parking and $14.40 for part-time.
The health district maintains that managing parking at a major metropolitan hospital involves balancing accessibility with the significant costs of providing and securing the facility.
