Associate Finance Minister Chris Bishop, who is also Infrastructure Minister, answered questions this week about the government’s plans.
But several local councillors and the local MPs are asking for more information.
Dunedin city councillor David Benson-Pope said "we all should be concerned at the lack of delivery".
Mr Benson-Pope said several councillors "both left and right" had been "openly critical" of the previous government’s approach to the project and he felt the coalition government was not backing up the assurances they had made in opposition.
His criticism was echoed by others.
Cr Steve Walker said "it’s tremendously worrying to be honest".
"It’s obvious to everyone that if they [the government] were fully committed to the promises made prior to the election, then they’d be shouting loudly from the rooftops about it.
"Unfortunately, their silence speaks volumes."
Asked whether it was time for councillors and the public to revive the They Save — We Pay campaign, Cr Walker said: "potentially, yes".
Cr Sophie Barker said she would also consider campaigning again.
"We still have the placards and T-shirts, so I’ll be ready to wave them again if we get any less than the promised hospital.
"It’s the biggest and most important project for our city and we still need to keep fighting for it — until the day it’s all open and fully staffed."
But Cr Andrew Whiley said the government was committed to building the new Dunedin hospital "and they know the importance of it being fit for purpose".
Dunedin Mayor Jules Radich said the facilities and services for the new Dunedin hospital were derived from an extensive consultation with clinicians.
"Those facilities and services were also agreed and in fact reinstated by the Minister of Health, Shane Reti.
"It is my firm expectation that this government will honour its commitment to build our new Dunedin hospital as it promised.
"Perhaps they might even speed up its delivery."
Dunedin’s local MPs were unconvinced.
"It’s been six months and all we’ve heard is crickets," Dunedin MP Rachel Brooking said.
Her comments refer to the fact Mr Bishop told the Otago Daily Times the government remained committed to the new Dunedin hospital building, but were "considering advice for the next step".
"We need to make sure that the project delivers value for money and that it can be delivered as expected," Mr Bishop said.
Ms Brooking said it was "inconceivable" the hospital would not be built, but the government had not made clear in either the Budget or their public statements the extent to which they were going to commit to the building since being elected.
The coalition government’s pledge, if honoured, would mean the reinstatement of 23 inpatient beds, two operating theatres and a PET scanner.
Some of the announced cuts were reversed by Labour before the last election, but spiralling costs on the project and silence from the new government over whether it will keep its promise have led to uncertainty it will be kept.
"To dither on it so far through the process would be crazy," Ms Brooking said.
Taieri MP Ingrid Leary said she remained "deeply cynical about whether the National-led government would meet its election promises.
"The latest side-stepping and blame-gaming by Chris Bishop confirms that he and his National Party colleagues talked a big game, but don’t care about the Deep South.
"People here have long memories and know this is just repeating the history of National’s approach to Dunedin hospital services throughout the decades." — additional reporting Mike Houlahan
