The Dunedin City Council has released an updated version of the Highlanders song, but now they are calling on the government to not make the area the House of Pain, and to get on and build their hospital.

The council is to hold a rally on Saturday, calling on the government to not make cuts to the planned new Dunedin Hospital.

The cost of the new hospital project is understood to have ballooned and Health NZ commissioner Lester Levy has said it is one of many projects under review.

Dunedin City councillor Bill Acklin wrote and sang the original Highlanders song in the 1990s, and he has now written an updated version.

The new song asks the government to honour its pre-election promise to build a southern hospital.

Mayor Jules Radich said: "Anyone who has supported the Highlanders will instantly recognise this new campaign anthem, and we're hoping it has exactly the same effect for the crowd we're expecting for Saturday's march.

"This is a rallying cry for people right across the south to come together and send a clear message to government - build the hospital as promised, without clinical cuts."

Mayor Radich said he encouraged everyone to learn the lyrics and come along on Saturday, ready to sing the house down.