Save our Southern Hospital campaign notches up

The campaign to stop the downgrading of the planned Southern Region tertiary hospital in Dunedin is ready to roll across the south.

Speaking to Crux, Dunedin Mayor Jules Radich said he would broaden the campaign, which now has dual slogans of 'They Save we Pay', and 'Save Our Southern Hospital' and its website soshospital.nz.

“What’s happening here is a very short-term saving. The Government is proposing to make short-term capital expense savings but at the expense of much greater, operational costs into the future. In the meantime, we pay with our health. They have got it wrong.

“Firstly, we will go around the regions to get people enrolled in the campaign. We already have 35,000 people that have turned out in Dunedin but I think there’s a lot more people around the province who all want a part of it.

"That's why we are rolling out Cliff, our new campaign ambulance.

“Cliff the Ambulance is the newest member of the Save Our Southern Hospital campaign team, and he’ll be hitting the road from today to spread the campaign message in Dunedin and across the South.

“Our message is simple. We want the hospital we were promised – one that is fit for purpose now and for decades to come, not a cut-price ambulance at the bottom of the cliff.”

The ambulance is on loan to the DCC after Mayor Radich pulled some strings with a friend. DCC ran a competition to name the vehicle, with Cliff proving very popular.

Cliff has since been dressed up in campaign livery and from today will be popping up all over Dunedin, as well as touring towns and centres across the South. The Mayor will be among those taking the wheel as the campaign continues.

“Anyone wanting to get a closer look at Cliff, and help us with the campaign, is welcome to pop by the Octagon at lunchtime today or tomorrow," Mayor Radich said.

“We’ll be there with Cliff from about 11am both days, handing out campaign materials and encouraging everyone to keep sending messages to the government.

“Save Our Southern Hospital” badges will be available for sale for $5 from Cliff to support the campaign and help pay for fuel."

A new Givealittle page for people wanting to help pay for Cliff’s petrol is also in the process of being setup, and Cliff’s adventures will also feature on the DCC’s social media channels

Main image: Cliff the Ambulance, the ambulance at the bottom of the cliff, the new They Save we Pay campaign vehicle unveiled by Dunedin City Councillors.