Alex Dexter's wife is in hospital after she had pregnancy complications before giving birth. However while this should be a happy occasion, Mr Dexter has been forced to pay hundreds of dollars in parking fees to support her.
He says the cost is at least $20 a day - and he's started a petition to fight back.
"I just spent another $30 or so to spend the day with my wife on our 2nd wedding anniversary, keeping her calm and trying to stop her from stressing," he wrote on the petition.
He told Newshub he wants changes made to the parking system.
"It's making money out of misery. People are suffering, they're just charging us while we're suffering. It's crazy. I think for family and friends who come and visit they can pay but next of kin and staff, I don't think they should have to pay," he says.
"We want to see some sort of change. It's just not fair. It needs to be monitored, it needs to be looked after."
Mr Dexter told Newshub the petition now had over 8000 signatures - and some of the stories are heartbreaking.
"We've got people that are having to pick up their kids that have been in hospital for a while and they don't have any money at all and they need to get in and out within 15 minutes. It ticks over to 17 minute and there's a charge there and they've got absolutely not money and they've got to ask people for money so they can actually leave," he says
"Women looking after their terminally ill fathers.. there's people here who are paying money and their watching their loved ones die and they're suffering. I mean I'm under a lot of stress at the moment and worrying constantly but at least I'm not going through that."
Wilson Parking say they only manage parking for two DHB facilities - MidCentral DHB and Auckland DHB.
Counties Manukau DHB say their parking is run by Secure Parking which is contracted by ACC.
A spokesperson told Newshub that Counties Manukau DHB doesn't make any money out of parking, and that they can help with parking for those that can't afford it.
The Ministry of Health said it is an operational matters for DHBs and out of their jurisdiction so they wouldn't comment.
Mr Dexter says he is outraged at the fees being inflicted on people.
"I don't know how people can think that's acceptable," he says.
"I think that it's disgusting that people are having to visit people that are terminally ill and are having to pay to do so. They're suffering, they're going through a lot of pain, sometimes they're traveling from a long way and they're having to stay here and they're just paying day after day."
Newshub.
