Last month, Health Minister Dr Shane Reti and Infrastructure Minister Chris Bishop made an announcement in the city that the new hospital would proceed in either a down-scaled version or by retrofitting the existing hospital.
Health NZ is looking to bring costs under control for the project's inpatient building, after the government set a new budget of $1.88 billion. This does not include the pathology building or the carpark building.
The government has claimed that without changes, the project will run hundreds of millions of dollars over the $1.88 billion so far committed.
It released one report publicly last month, called the Rust report, that had been done in May.
But this report pointed to three other key documents that would be done by August.
"We note that within three months, the current forecast cost to complete will be more certain than at the time of writing, noting the following 'cost milestones'," the Rust report said.
The agency has now refused to release to RNZ any of these three other documents, on the grounds they are under active consideration and it might prejudice commercial negotiations.
"We do not believe that the public interests outweigh the need to withhold, in this instance," it told RNZ today.
"Health NZ is working urgently to develop options for New Dunedin Hospital that can be achieved within the budget and deliver modern, fit-for-purpose health facilities that will enhance clinical safety and enable new models of care.
"This work will be completed over the coming weeks."
- additional reporting ODT
