Council looks to LNP for hospital
THE contentious issue of parking at Warwick Hospital may be brought back to the forefront soon, with council calling on the new State Government to support its plight.
Hospital users have vented their frustrations at a lack of adequate parking for some time, with prior proposals to utilise a section of the adjacent Victoria Park for parking.
Southern Downs Regional Council director of engineering Peter See said he would like to see the LNP contribute to solving the parking issue by making funding available.
Council has also expressed concern that ill or disabled patients and visitors have had trouble accessing close parking, rendering it inadequate.
Mr See said council had investigated using some of the space in Victoria Park, but would need to purchase the desired area from the State Government to do so.
Health Minister Lawrence Springborg said he is confident a resolution could be reached between the government and council.
He said the matter would have to be put before the soon-to-be appointed hospital board before any decision could be made.
"I will take the issue to the new hospital board when it is tasked on July 1 and it will be tasked as one of their priorities," he said.
Mr Springborg said he understood the concerns regarding lack of parking, having visited the hospital himself several times over the years, and said he was willing to enter talks with council.
"I am certainly very open to the issue of parking and while I understand there are some challenges, I think we need to sit down with council and discuss funding options," he said. "If parking is identified as an issue, which it obviously is, we will work toward a solution."
Mr Horan said while he was not fully aware of the issues surrounding Warwick's parking predicaments, he could sympathise with the needs of hospital users.
"As chairman of the board and a former minister of health, I am very understanding of the need for parking for hospital and staff," he said.
"During my time as minister I addressed the issue at five major hospitals in the state."
