The Government needs to be transparent about the cuts they are making to hospital infrastructure, so that cities are
clear on the health resources they will have into the future.
As at September 2023, the Infrastructure and Investment Group (IIG) within Health New Zealand was responsible for over
110 health infrastructure projects worth a total of $7.7 billion. These projects are in various phases of completion and
included the new Dunedin Hospital. Large hospital rebuilds were planned for Nelson and Whangarei.
“The Government set aside a mere $103 million in the budget to cover all capital cost pressures across multiple projects
– costs that arise due to inflation. This does not look like a Government committed to completing an adequate Dunedin
Hospital on time, let alone hospitals in other regions,” said Labour associate health spokesperson Tracey McLellan.
“In Dunedin, which was the largest capital project underway in New Zealand, National promised additional theatres, and
hospital space, but these have not been funded. He has broken his promise.
“In last week’s scrutiny hearings, Minister Reti was unable to answer for the $1.1 billion for the Nelson Hospital
rebuild, which would have been allocated over six-phases. In fact, there was no spend for Nelson Hospital in this
Budget, and nothing set aside for 2025 or 2026 either.
“These projects were planned under Labour to meet clinical expectations – downsizing or shedding parts of the builds is
simply not good enough – the buildings won’t be fit into the future.
“And on Whangarei Hospital, Minister Reti is silent. By his own admission, the upgrade is desperately needed, and was
being scoped under Labour, but Minister Reti has failed to name an ongoing funding source for Whangarei or Nelson
hospitals.
“The Government is building a case to land Labour with the blame for the projects they themselves are reducing. New
Zealand deserves better than this backwards government, who will give billions to landlords in tax breaks but won’t
build a hospital to serve taxpayers.