Dunedin Hospital campaign gets funding boost

With a decision on the new Dunedin Hospital plans expected soon and a visit by Prime Minister Christopher Luxon tomorrow, councillors have agreed to a funding boost to step-up its campaign to change the Government’s mind.

Dunedin City Council today approved a cash injection of $146,000 to continued funding its Save Our Southern Hospital campaign, aimed at ensuring a tertiary hospital for the region is built in Dunedin.

Dunedin Mayor Jules Radich said it was important for the Government to realise that a tertiary hospital was needed for the whole southern region.

“I've had a recent discussion with an absolute world expert on this matter and that is the worldwide standard model of care. Best practice is to have a tertiary hospital covering a wider region. And the urgent cases, the severe trauma cases, the, I suppose the more exotic medical cases, all come to that tertiary hospital because it works so much better when you have combined resources at that one facility.

“This government has made a promise. Now, that promise is not broken yet. What they've done is put up some possibilities of how they might, how they might break it or how they might trim that hospital down.

“However, I do believe that they are still focused on providing the services and facilities and it is our absolute duty of care for the residents of this region that we push as hard as humanly possible to make sure that they deliver that promise and we get the hospital they said we would.”

A staff report put to the council today, says the spend has been considered alongside the sensitive expenditure guidelines and staff believe that the spend is reasonable, as it aligns with the values of the community evidenced by 35,000 people supporting the public march last month.

“Every effort has been made to ensure expenditure is cost effective including looking for revenue to offset the cost to ratepayers.

“Council has committed to the campaign and needs to determine the level of budget available. Staff recommend that the budget is allocated in the same way as the original campaign – that is a dollar amount based on a per capita basis. Staff recommend $1.10 per head of population to account for increased costs since January 2023.”

Councillor Lee Vandervis said the march was wonderful and not that expensive but cautioned over putting large sums of money into a campaign that was not council’s core business.

Councillor Marie Laufiso disagreed, saying it was the council’s business.

“Its our money not the Government’s money. This is about everyday life. It is about life and death.

“We have to fight for everybody because everybody can tell you a story of how the health system has not worked for them.”

Councillor Steve Walker said spending the amount on the campaign was an investment.

“I think if we don't spend this money to stand up and fight for what was promised and if we don't, I guess if we end up with a scaled back, slightly patronizing, unworkable piece of nonsense, I think we will probably forever ask ourselves in the future why didn't we commit to spending a little bit of resource at this juncture to make sure we get what this city and the south rightly deserves.”

Councillor David Benson-Pope said the total, at a cost of $1.10 per resident, should not be begrudged.

Councillor Carmen Houlahan said the cost was a “drop in the ocean” compared with what was at stake.

Councillor Brent Weatherall said councillors should also accept more funds might be needed.

“You simply can't put a dollar value on health. We cannot and will not take a second best option for the health and wellbeing of the southern region and our medical school which contributes to the health and wellbeing of the entire country.”

Councillor Kevin Gilbert there was still a chance for the Government to “save face”.

Councillor Sophie Barker said “we need to go hard now.”

Councillor Christine Garey said the public were fully behind the campaign and the united front shown by councillors, some of whom voted for the present Government.

Deputy Mayor Cherry Lucas said the Prime Minister had indicated a decision on the hospital plans was pending, so it was unlikely ongoing funding for the campaign would be needed.

The present Government has previously said it will not fund the full, original plans for a new tertiary hospital in the  city, because of the cost blow-out, estimated at $3 billion.

Instead it is proposing to either redevelop the existing hospital or scale back the build of a new site.

Main image: Dunedin Mayor Jules Radich at today's DCC meeting.