The energy of people power as we all participated in the biggest protest in Dunedin in decades was inspiring and also a reflection of the huge anger that this government deliberately lied to us, and did so pre-election knowing that it had no intention of keeping its promise.
Last week, National tried to placate Dunedin, insisting on manufactured stories of a cost blow out and mismanaged Dunedin hospital project.
It was callous politics — throwing the people of the South under the bus.
The Dunedin hospital plans have become a sterling disappointment and have been downgraded despite silver-tongued promises National made to get into government.
Minister of Health Shane Reti continues to waste time and money, announcing yet another review into the project which has already undergone several, while the costs go up, consultants stand around waiting and the credibility of National to deliver the hospital goes down.
Labour’s fully costed project had the budget allocated to pay for it and had additional capacity for mental health and MRI facilities. It seems National are content with giving the old building a makeover.
This is a manufactured crisis about the cost of this hospital. It speaks more to the bad choices the government has made and comes from their deeply cynical political playbook.
Sadly, one that they keep going back to.
The National government is lying about the justification for hospital cuts just as it has lied about the "need" to make cuts at Health New Zealand Te Whatu Ora.
They have no shame, even attempting to pit Dunedin against the rest of the country, insisting there is not enough money to go around.
However, they are content to give $2.9 billion to landlords, and $216 million in tax breaks to tobacco companies.
Our regions should not have to compete for decent health services because of this government’s bad decisions.
How will the government’s "patch-up" proposals provide a hospital which not only looks after the region, but also provides critical medical training for the country?
The cost of not building this hospital will be far greater over the coming years through poorer health outcomes for all New Zealand.
