The West Australian Health Minister has conceded a $1,000 fine given to a mother who illegally parked her car at Princess Margaret Children’s Hospital was excessive.
Monique Garcia rushed her 13-year-old son, who has a congenital heart condition, to PMH’s emergency department on Wednesday, after he started having chest pains.
When she left the hospital two hours later, she had received a $1,000 parking ticket.
Health Minister John Day today told 720 ABC Perth Ms Garcia would not have to pay the fine, which he admitted was too high.
“No she won’t, and indeed before this became a media issue, she wouldn’t [have had to pay] if she’d gone to the hospital and explained the circumstances; it would have been waived,” he said.
“Having said that, I agree the amount, if she did have to pay it, is far too high, and we certainly will be reviewing this fine.
“There does need to be some penalty for people who park on hospital grounds with no good reason, but people in emergency situations shouldn’t be subject to these fines, and nor are they.”
Mr Day said even though the fine would be reduced to $200 if paid within 28 days, even that amount was too high.
“There does need to be a penalty system for people abusing hospital parking … but I think something comparable to a local government fee would be appropriate, somewhere in the order of $60,” he said.
Mr Day said Ms Garcia’s infringement notice was one of only two that had been issued “over the last month or so”, and 71 warnings had been issued over the same time frame.
Tougher fines for parking infringements at all Perth hospitals, except for Sir Charles Gairdner, came into effect on July 1.
Mr Day said the fine amounts would be reviewed.