Mayor’s column: Budget 2025 and Nelson

I nervously await tomorrow’s Budget after months of lobbying Ministers, MPs and officials to get the approvals and funding to upgrade Nelson Hospital.

My message to Government has been that the chronic shortage of beds is compromising patient care, that the dilapidated hospital’s conditions are the worst in the country and that the earthquake strengthening is urgent. I have also highlighted the staffing issues as our doctors and nurses are the most important aspect of healthcare.

I have a particular interest in the seismic strengthening, having rewritten the law to prioritise hospital upgrades in 2016 as Building Minister. Nelson City Council, under this law, requires that the Percy Brunette and George Manson tower blocks be strengthened or replaced by November 2028. Time is running out.

It is not an easy time to be demanding big investment from Government. It has been running huge deficits for six years and net core debt has more than doubled to $187 billion.

The redevelopment plan that I have been engaging on with Health NZ officials is affordable and deliverable. Health NZ changed its approach after the delays and cost blowouts of the Dunedin Hospital mega-project. The new staged approach for Nelson delivers more beds sooner. It provides more opportunities for local contractors and less risk of delays. It would be impossible to build a completely new hospital by 2028 and it makes no sense to strengthen the existing tower blocks and then demolish them.

Stage 1 is funded and underway with the first building consents issued in February. The seismic strengthening work has started and construction is progressing well on the expanded emergency department. Next is a new parking building to free-up space.

Stage 2 includes a new six-storey tower for medical and surgical wards, a medical assessment unit, pharmacy and helipad as well as the refurbishment of existing buildings. It’s the largest Government building project ever for our region. Budget ’25 needs to provide the hundreds of millions to deliver this stage.

I have stressed repeatedly to Government that redeveloping Nelson Hospital is this region’s top priority. I thank the media and community for helping to highlight our hospital’s case. Tomorrow’s Budget will reveal if our message has been heeded.