While not exactly a ringing endorsement of the priority Minister for the South Island James Meager gives the project, he added that part of his role was to make sure people across the South had "relatively good, reliable access to healthcare".
The first-term Rangitata MP received the new portfolio in Prime Minister Christopher Luxon’s reshuffle of the Cabinet at the weekend.
"[The new Dunedin hospital is] absolutely going to be a massive part of ensuring we’ve got really good, consistent health services," Mr Meager said when asked.
"I think that’s why you saw the government commit to building that hospital and put, I think, an extra $300 million into that [project], and I’m sure with someone like [newly-appointed Health Minister] Simeon Brown in the role, we’ll be able to deliver the hospital that the southern half of the South Island needs."
When asked on RNZ the morning following the reshuffle, Mr Meager did not mention the new Dunedin hospital as one of his priorities, instead focusing on infrastructure, transport and economic growth.
He told the ODT he was most looking forward to getting around the South Island and figuring out exactly what it was people wanted from the government in terms of getting the economic growth needed out of the mainland, and then delivering that.
"The No 1 priority is ensuring economic growth, as part of [Finance Minister] Nicola Willis’s economic growth plan.
"And then, so one of the other priorities would be making sure that we deliver good public services, good health, good education, strong policing and law and order services in the South Island and that would include the Dunedin hospital."
The government announced in September it was replacing the new Dunedin hospital project with either a retro-fit of the existing hospital or a scaled-down version at the former Cadbury’s site.
A decision is yet to be made.
Mr Meager said the hospital project remained important as the health system in the South Island faced pressure.
"I’ve got to make sure that we’ve got good health services across the island, so that means whether you live in Southland or Central Otago or South Canterbury or up in Nelson, you get relatively good, reliable access to healthcare."
There was a "limited pot" of funding, Mr Meager said.
"There are demands on services across the country ... there’s always going to be decisions that need to be made about priority.
"My role is to make sure that when ministers and officials are making decisions that affect the South Island, I put the South Island’s best case forward and try to work with every minister to make sure that we get as much of our fair share as possible."
The Timaru-born University of Otago graduate said the South Island was a passion for him.
"Our focus is obviously on growing the South Island and making it an attractive place to come and work and play, but we’ve also got a focus on delivering those core public services, and I know, having come from Timaru and having spent the last few months dealing with issues and challenges around health services, that that’s really important for South Islanders."
Meanwhile, new Health Minister Simeon Brown remained unavailable for an interview with the Otago Daily Times about the new hospital project, for a second day yesterday.
A spokesman for Mr Brown said he would be available "as soon as possible" after his return from the National Party caucus retreat, which ends today.
