After wasting $100,000 per day since construction was halted, the government have finally decided to resume work on a downgraded version of the Dunedin Hospital that they promised to build.

“The only promises this government can deliver on are the promises that harm Māori, that harm workers, and that harm people living in poverty,” said Te Pāti Māori MP for Te Tai Tonga, Tākuta Ferris.

“Anything designed to improve the lives of everyday New Zealanders, and suddenly ‘the costs are too high.’

“This hospital is not a ‘nice to have’, it is an absolute necessity. The people of Ōtepoti have been conned, they deserve the hospital that National campaigned on.

“The government are happy to give $3 billion to already wealthy landlords, but $3 billion is too much for a desperately needed hospital that serves the entire lower half of Te Wai Pounamu.

“Better than nothing is not good enough.

“Te iwi Māori have high risks already when it comes to poor health outcomes. A substandard hospital will do nothing to improve these inequities.

“We need action, not more excuses. Every day that passes without action is a day this community does without the healthcare it needs,” concluded Ferris.

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