'Cowardly': Luxon sidesteps protest by using back entrance

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has been called "cowardly" after hurrying in a back door to avoid a hospital protest in central Dunedin.

A group of about 30 protesters chanting, carrying placards and wearing 'They save We pay" t-shirts were waiting to greet Mr Luxon at the entrance to the Dunedin Public Art Gallery.

But Mr Luxon's motorcade stopped instead in Moray Place, at the back of the art gallery.

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon leaves DPAG after the ODT Class Act awards. Photo: Craig Baxter
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon leaves DPAG after the ODT Class Act awards. Photo: Craig Baxter

Mr Luxon was seen walking briskly past a smaller group of seven protesters.

The Prime Minister later exited the same way, greeted by a chanting group of protesters calling for a ceasefire in Palestine.

Last month, Health Minister Dr Shane Reti and Infrastructure Minister Chris Bishop made an announcement that the new Dunedin hospital would proceed in either a down-scaled version or by retrofitting the existing hospital. An estimated 35,000 people turned out in a protest that ended in the Octagon.

Health New Zealand Te Whatu Ora is looking to bring costs under control for the new hospital project’s inpatient building, after the government set a new budget of $1.88 billion. This did not include the pathology building or the carpark building.

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon avoids an Octagon protest by entering the Dunedin Public Art...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon avoids an Octagon protest by entering the Dunedin Public Art Gallery through a back way. Photo: Gerard O'Brien

Today's protest organiser Cr Steve Walker said the Prime Minister's decision to not enter through the front, past protesters, was "cowardly" on his part, but a win for the protesters.

"He's cognizant of the fact there is a voice in this city that he is unprepared to face up to and speak to and explain his side of the story ."

It was "completely inappropriate" for a Prime Minister to not face up to protesters - who just wanted answers to "fundamental questions".

"He is the man in the position, along with Dr Reti, who can give us those answers".

Christopher Luxon speaks at the ceremony. Photo: Peter McIntosh
Christopher Luxon speaks at the ceremony. Photo: Peter McIntosh
Mr Luxon is visiting Dunedin to speak and present certificates to young achievers at the Otago Daily Times' Class Act event. 

In the Octagon Noeline Speight, of Brockville, said the hospital was "very important" as it was a teaching hospital and was used by children. 

The current hospital had leaking walls and was used to service the whole southern region.

It was "evil" what the government was doing to the city and Mr Luxon was not using his brain - "if he's got one to use," she said.

Photo: Tim Scott
Photo: Tim Scott
Sam Sharpe, of North East Valley, was protesting the cuts to the new Dunedin hospital.

He was one of the estimated 35,000 people who turned up to the council-led protest in the Octagon. 

The longer the government waited to build it, the more expensive it would be, he said.

With its chipped walls, the inside of the hospital was "like something out of the USSR".

"Just keep your promises."

Cr Walker has been leading calls for locals to make their feelings clear about government plans to shrink the new hospital.

"We need to make sure our voices are heard," he said in a Facebook post.

 

 

 

 

 

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