It is past time and it’s a no-brainer — the government needs to get on and build the Dunedin hospital.
Hospitals are critical infrastructure in New Zealand, and the longer the government takes, the longer other regions must also wait for much-needed investment.
Labour leader Chris Hipkins has made it clear Labour will build the hospital we promised.
He didn’t hold back, pointing out that National has manufactured a crisis to justify slashing the hospital plans, while handing out tax breaks to tobacco companies.
This isn’t just about a building; it’s about equitable access to modern healthcare for the people of Otago and Southland.
Let’s be honest — the current hospital isn’t cutting it and the facilities just aren’t up to scratch.
Labour recognised this from day one, and that’s why we’ve pushed to deliver a state-of-the-art hospital that would serve the South Island for generations.
Yes, there have been challenges with the project, like rising costs and global supply chain disruptions, but Labour’s commitment has not wavered.
For us, this hospital isn’t an inconvenient expense — it’s a necessary investment in the health and wellbeing of southern families.
The original plan, with an eight-year timeline, aligned with best practices for a project of this scale. The land was purchased, designs were well under way and construction had begun.
The outpatient building is on track for completion by 2026. The inpatient building, with its piles already in the ground, was set to open by 2029.
But under the National government these plans have been thrown into chaos.
In September, their ministers turned up in Dunedin and announced major downgrades to the hospital, even floating a retrofit of the old building as a viable option.
Their cost-cutting measures have now delayed the project, and according to an economist costs are rising by about $100,000 per day.
This is money that should be spent improving healthcare.
It’s no wonder Dunedin residents are furious. Two days after National’s announcement, tens of thousands of people marched through the city in one of the largest protests in its history.
The National government claims it is being fiscally responsible, but its numbers don’t add up.
Its ministers have inflated the hospital’s costs by including digital infrastructure and car parking that would’ve been paid for whether there was an upgrade or not.
Let’s just call it what it is: a broken promise.
To make matters worse, National tried to pit regions against each other by claiming that funding Dunedin, as they promised, would mean scrapping desperately needed upgrades elsewhere.
That isn’t leadership — it’s abdication of responsibility.
The situation couldn’t be clearer. Labour builds and National cuts.
Dunedin deserves the hospital it was promised, and Labour will deliver it.
■ Dr Tracey McLellan is the Labour associate health spokeswoman.
