Raewyn Nyhof has never felt more disenfranchised.
She was one of many Dunedin residents who protested funding cuts to the new hospital yesterday, by filming themselves holding "They Save, We Pay" placards and posting them online.
Dunedin deputy mayor Sophie Barker was pleased with the public turnout and said the social media posts went far and wide.
"We’re hearing that our voices are getting heard.
"It was wonderful — so many people turned up. It was fantastic."
She hoped to boost that impact by providing another opportunity for residents to make their voices heard.
The next one would be much bigger — a major campaign rally in the Octagon.
"Stay tuned for a date," she said.
It said $90million worth of design cutbacks needed to be made.
Yesterday’s protest was part of an ongoing Dunedin City Council campaign against the cuts.
Ms Nyhof said she was personally concerned Dunedin residents would have to be "shipped off" to Christchurch for treatment because the new Dunedin hospital would not have all of the facilities it so desperately needed.
"There’s never going to be a time when it’s cheaper to build this hospital — we just need to do it now.
"We’ve got an ageing population and an increasing population, and it’s going to be obsolete before it’s finished.
"This is a serious issue and the people of Dunedin need to get behind this campaign."
