Central Otago Mayor Tim Cadogan said yesterday he believed the $90 million of cuts to the $1.6 billion rebuild, announced before Christmas, would not be reversed by the Government.
The changes had been resolved during private stakeholder discussions last August, and actually reflected an improvement on the original cuts proposed, he said.
Although he had not been party to those negotiations, he had learnt of the situation last month during extensive discussions with lead clinicians and planners involved in the rebuild, Mr Cadogan said.
"We’re getting two messages loud and clear. The changes won’t be reversed, and ‘we can live with it’."
Although stakeholders would have preferred to proceed with the original plan, they had told him the revised plan would not have a significant impact on their ability to deliver services effectively, he said.
Southern officials, including Dunedin Mayor Jules Radich, Clutha Mayor Bryan Cadogan, Waitaki Mayor Gary Kircher and Otago Regional Council chairwoman Gretchen Robertson, came together to form a group last month, protesting the cuts.
On Monday, Gore Mayor Ben Bell told the Otago Daily Times he would not take an active part in that campaign.
He continued to support the campaign informally, but he believed the hospital cuts were principally a matter for Dunedin to address, Mr Bell said.
That was a view shared by Queenstown-Lakes Mayor Glyn Lewers.
Mr Lewers said there was discussion among mayors about making any campaign more regionally focused, but it was ultimately decided it would only cover the Dunedin hospital situation.
He felt that was a missed opportunity.
"Queenstown-Lakes district and Central Otago have their own set of needs, and they’ve become quite acute with the growth we’re facing and the lack of health service we currently have," he said.
"Dunedin Hospital becomes not as significant to this area as it would have under the old health system.
"Te Whatu Ora talks about care close to home ... When Dunedin Hospital is a three-hour drive away, while Christchurch is an hour flight, close to home is Christchurch," Mr Lewers said.
Other regional mayors remained broadly supportive of a push to retain a "best possible" replacement for the current Dunedin hospital, while not compromising localised health-care delivery.
Mr Kircher said, following discussions with stakeholders, he too was "comfortable" with the revised plans.
"Our concern has always been making sure that whatever is built will best serve the needs of our community. That includes both what should properly be called the ‘Otago-Southland Hospital’ and localised services that provide for better equity of [medical] outcome for those in the regions," Mr Kircher said.
Invercargill Mayor Nobby Clark said there was nothing to be gained by further delays to the project.
Further changes would require rescoping, leading to inflationary delays, he said.
"On a project this size, if you spend another nine or 12 months rescoping, that’s $5million a month cost inflation, meaning you’ve wasted another $60million.
"I’m passionate to see the rebuild go ahead because, until our hospital is upgraded, Southland needs Dunedin for emergencies and overflow."
Clutha Mayor Bryan Cadogan said he remained behind the campaign for a hospital that served the needs of the south as a whole.
"No-one has even asked for the regional view, with a dominance of Dunedin-centric comments; but after extensive inquiries to leaders in both the health and industry involved, I have a differing view to the rhetoric expressed by many.
"Most definitely this is a regional facility and, frustratingly, the regional significance and varying needs of the wider region have not been given due consideration."
ORC chairwoman Gretchen Robertson said the council’s core role was not public health.
"Our council is not joining a campaign, but it’s fair to say we join a loud voice saying we need this new facility and let’s now get on and build it."
Dunedin Mayor Jules Radich said the city council would push on with its campaign against the cuts, regardless of the level of support from other mayors in the region.
