The National Party leader was in Queenstown, Alexandra and Dunedin as part of a national tour aimed at introducing himself, outlining his vision for New Zealand and asking residents about the issues that mattered to them.
At Alexandra, Mr Bridges took aim at the Labour-led Government over its decision not to fund the Roxburgh children's village, saying it had made the wrong decision.
The Otago Daily Times asked Mr Bridges why, after the extra $1.5 million given in 2009 for the facility when it was about to close, nothing else had been given during National's time in government.
"Our approach was to allow [funding] to continue. We were in times when the budgets were tighter than they are today but we still managed to do it.
"You can always make the case for more money; instead of $1.5 [million] it could have been $3.5 [million] or something but it kept going and now, under this Government where they have a $3 billion surplus where they're able to put $1 billion into diplomats overseas, they're not doing it and I can't see why."
Mr Bridges was asked if he stood by the National's decision not to give the Maniototo Hospital the $1 million needed for its rebuild, which the Labour-led Government did earlier this year.He acknowledged he knew little about the hospital's situation but said, generally, hospitals needed money and funding had to be better targeted.
"If you look at our record around New Zealand, we've done a pretty good job."
Other issues highlighted by those present included the positives and negatives of growth, high house prices compared with wages, the lack of opportunities for young people, the increase in minimum wage and how it affected horticulture businesses, health and safety on orchards, and tourist tax.
Concerns raised at Dunedin included the closure of NZ Post shops and Kiwibanks, job losses at the University of Otago, increasing numbers of tourists which one person suggested should be capped, and the centralisation of government services and health facilities away from the regions.
Mr Bridges said he was also concerned about the latter.
He believed moving some services back to the regions would help the Government deal with overcrowding issues in places like Auckland.
"Auckland is heaving."
It was noted Mr Bridges did not take notes or record any of the issues raised during the meeting.
He will continue his tour today, visiting the Gore District Memorial RSA at 10am and the Windsor Community Church in Invercargill at 2pm.
