Hospital parking fees cut after petition from sick boy
NSW hospital parking fees are set to be cut, after a petition created by a 14-year-old with a rare blood disorder, garnered more than 70,000 signatures.
Gidon Goodman’s condition requires him going to the hospital for regular transfusions, and concerns that the exorbitant hospital parking costs would dissuade families from visiting sick relatives led him to create the online petition.
On Monday, NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian responded to the campaign, announcing, “a huge reduction in car parking fees” at all New South Wales hospitals. The changes could see sick patients and carers spared as much as $200 a week, with frequent visitors eligible for concessions that would see weekly charges as low as $21.20.
Ms Berejiklian praised Gidon’s efforts for advocating change, telling ABC News, “It does mean negotiating, it also means as a government we have to do what's called forego revenue. So we're talking millions and millions of dollars.
“We will be contributing to this every year. Today is about people making a difference... a teenager like Gidon making a difference.”
Gidon said he was thankful for the decision, “I'm now unbelievably proud to be able to say that the Premier and the Health Minister are introducing a policy which is going to do amazing things for the families.
“Someone (visiting) once a week for a year will be saving $1,600. These changes are going to be helping people who go (regularly visit hospitals) long term, helping families, people having babies (who) have to go longer than two days in a row.”
What an incredible young man. Leave any messages of congratulations below.
Image credit: Twitter / ajsmith