However, "we’ve got fish to fry here as well, when it comes to providing closer-to-home healthcare".
Last week, Health Minister Shane Reti announced the main inpatient building could be drastically scaled back, or dumped altogether, in favour of retrofitting the old hospital.
The government is seeking advice on two options for delivering the "problematic and poorly-managed project" after indications the budget could blow out to $3billion, putting a $1.88b cap on the project.
It’s caused outrage across the South, resulting in an estimated 35,000 people marching in protest in Dunedin on Saturday.
Lewers tells Mountain Scene he was part of a briefing on Monday night with the other Southern mayors and the Health New Zealand infrastructure delivery team.
"They are in negotiations, and you can tell they’re working pretty hard to still fit within that budget envelope."
While there remain concerns about the potential loss of carparking, which will provide a barrier for access to people from inland Otago, Lewers remains confident the health services provided "will be sufficient".
"Dunedin is going to get a hospital, there’s no two bones about it.
"[But] my focus, as mayor of this district, is actually improving the health outcomes here ... which means actually providing the services closer to home here, in the Queenstown Lakes and Central Otago."
He’s pleased there’s finally been recognition the "demand factors" from when the original business case was done for the new hospital till now "have changed".
"There is now a recognition that in the Southern Lakes, and inland Otago, the demand for health services has increased.
"For me, that is actually quite a good thing.
He’s quick to point out there have been "no commitments" from Reti or Health NZ, but is quietly hopeful that recognition may result in future investment in the Central Lakes.
