Massive Dunedin and Wānaka hospital marches challenge Government

A huge turnout of protesters in both Dunedin and Wānaka has put pressure on the Government to justify its decision to downgrade the build of a new Dunedin hospital.

Estimates of the Dunedin march size were up to 35,000 people with hundreds more marching in Wānaka.

The Dunedin hospital protest march - September 28, 2024. Video: Andrew Ashton: Crux.

In Wānaka hundreds of marchers walked from the fire station down to the lake front.

Deputy Queenstown Lakes District Council mayor Quentin Smith told Crux at the protest that "the government was not "listening to the people" on the subject of health care. He said that the two big protest marches were not just about Dunedin but a general drop in the standard of public health care.

QLDC councillor Nikki Gladding and Deputy Mayor Quentin Smith at today's Wānaka march

The Wānaka march was organised by Michael Sidey and supported by the the advocacy group Health Action Wānaka.

The team from Health Action Wānaka - (Left to Right) Trish Fraser, Brigid Borowczyk, Monique Mayze and Nicky McCarthy

Nicky McCarthy of Health Action Wānaka told Crux at the march that their goal was fair and equitable public health care for the entire southern region. She described the community's reaction to the Government's decision to downgrade Dunedin hospital as leaving everyone angry and disappointed.

A number of marchers told Crux they had been National Party supporters and voters at the last elections but the Dunedin hospital decision had left them disillusioned. They said National had broken election promises on health care and the group felt they could no longer support a National government.

Family protesters in Wānaka today: Parents Katrina Latham and Charles Craw with Jessica and Alice Craw

Dunedin and Southern Lakes residents were told earlier this week that plans for a new regional hospital in Dunedin are “unachievable” in their current format.

Health Minister Shane Reti and Infrastructure Minister Chris Bishop fronted in Dunedin to be, as Mr Bishop put it, “transparent” but “blunt”.

“We now know that the New Dunedin Hospital, as currently designed, can’t be delivered within that appropriation,” Mr Bishop said.

“In fact, despite the project’s original 2017 cost estimates of $1.2 to $1.4 billion, it’s now possible it could approach $3 billion, which would make it one of the most expensive hospitals ever built in the southern hemisphere.

“This cost simply cannot be justified when hospitals around New Zealand are crying out for maintenance, upgrades and new facilities. Dr Reti and I are concerned that badly needed infrastructure upgrades to Whangarei, Nelson, Hawke’s Bay, Palmerston North and Tauranga hospitals may be put at risk if Dunedin continues to go so far over budget.”

Following an independent review ministers have instructed Health NZ that the project is to be delivered within its current appropriated budget of $1.88 billion, and to provide urgent advice on two options for delivering it.