In a surprising move at the last Tweed Shire Council Labor councillor Reece Byrnes and conservative councillor Warren Polglase were both on the same page in relation to free parking at the contentious new Tweed Valley Hospital (TVH) near Kingscliff.
Both councillors claimed they could confirm that there would be free parking at the site Cr Byrnes via the Richmond federal member of parliament, Justin Elliot and Cr Polglase via National Party MP Geoff Provost.
‘My understanding is that yes, there will be a forthcoming affirmation,’ said Cr Byrnes.
The ‘[health] minister has informed the state member who represents the people of Tweed that this will be the arrangement.’
The concerns about the lack of commitment to free parking for all, in perpetuity, at the Tweed Valley Hospital have been repeatedly raised by the Kingscliff Ratepayers and Progress Association (KRPA).They have pointed out that if parking isn’t free then hospital visitors will park in residential streets, in the Kingscliff pool car park or at Kingscliff TAFE. This concern has also been compounded by the fact that the NSW government has pushed back the plan for free parking at regional hospitals that was supposed to start on 1 July.
No public announcement
After some argy bargy between Liberal Councillor James Owen and Labor’s Cr Byrnes, Mayor Chris Cherry moved the meeting forward to allow Cr Polglase to speak to the matter.
‘I can confirm that what counsellor Byrnes is saying is correct. Because I’m aware of it [from Geoff that] the minister did mention that that would be the case,’ said Cr Polglase.
Liberal councillor Rhiannon Brinsmead then entered the fray pointing out that the issue was being politicised by other councillors pointing out that, ‘all we needed was for the member for Tweed, the member for Richmond, or even better the Health Minister, to put it in writing and confirm it make it official, to be honest that this isn’t about politics.’
While there have been confirmed conversations between Mr Provost, Ms Elliot and Health Minister Ryan Park that confirm the parking is free there has been no public announcement as yet.
‘There is still no public commitment from Labor,’ said Cr Owen.
‘Why can someone just come out and say that parking at the new Tweed Valley Hospital is going to be free, in perpetuity?
‘All I’m hearing is a load of buff that maybe someone might have said something to someone else – and there’s no transparency in that. And that’s really concerning. Can we just write a letter and get a response that says that “parking is going to be free at the Tweed Valley Hospital for this community”. It’s not hard.’
After several foreshadowed motions were lost the vote went back to the original motion which sought to write to The NSW Premier, The NSW Minister for Health, The NSW Treasurer, and local State Members of Parliament – Member for Lismore and Member for Tweed ‘expressing Council’s support for, and requesting that parking is free at the new Tweed Valley Hospital when it opens, and in perpetuity’.
The motion was passed four votes to three with councillors Polglase, Byrnes, and Dennis against.
