Dunedin (Friday, 31 March 2023) – Mayor of Dunedin Jules Radich is heartened by the strong support he is seeing for the community campaign They Save, We Pay protesting cuts to the New Dunedin Hospital.

“It would be easy for decision makers in Wellington to think they might wait for the hospital issue to blow over, but it will not. It’s time for the Government to look after the people of the South,” Mr Radich says.

The They Save, We Pay campaign is calling for the Government to reverse cuts to the hospital design and deliver the full suite of services and facilities as promised in the Cabinet approved Detailed Business Case.

“The Government might want to save some money now, but the people of the South will be paying for years to come with a hospital that is less than fit-for-purpose. The solution for the Government is to build it once and build it right,” Mr Radich says.

He is encouraging concerned residents to have their voices heard. The Council is providing a set of resources at the They Save, We Pay campaign website to assist the community to have their voices heard.

“Write to your MPs, write letters to the editor, sign the NZ Nurses petition. We need to show them how much we care about this hospital and remind them how closely we are watching this issue,” Mr Radich says.

Thousands of signatures have been added to a NZ Nurses Organisation petition over recent days and the Dunedin Mayor is hoping thousands more will show their support.

“There’s over 8000 signatures on that petition, I’d like to see 10,000 over the weekend,” the Mayor says.

“We must build on the progress made so far. The South deserves a hospital that meets the needs of our community. If we don’t act now, everyone’s healthcare will suffer,” Mr Radich says.

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