I was delighted to be present when my parliamentary colleague, Dr Michael Holland MP - Member for Bega and Parliamentary Secretary for Regional Health, officially opened the Wagga Wagga Base Hospital multi-storey car park today, representing the Hon Ryan Park for Keira, Minister for Health, Minister for Regional Health.

Car parking near the hospital is a real priority for our community.

The main users of the car park are patients who need to receive care, family and friends supporting their loved ones and of course the health staff who provide such a high level of care.

The last thing anyone needs is being unable to find a parking spot when they need to make sure their loved ones get to hospital.

And it is important that staff can park securely, especially those on shiftwork.

The newly opened multi-storey car park will provide:

- an additional 350 parking spots

- 2000 new solar panels across the campus to provide clean renewable energy capacity

- eight charging stations for electric vehicles

Now that the car park is completed, there will be more than 900 parking spots available to health staff, patients and visitors in the Wagga Wagga Base Hospital precinct.

And there will be no charge for parking.

The work is the final part of the WWBH redevelopment and I wish to thank all those involved in the 11-year journey of construction.

I look forward to working constructively with the government to improve rural and regional health.