4. Dr PAUL HUTCHISON (National—Hunua) Link to this
to the Minister of Health
What announcements has the Government made regarding building developments at Middlemore Hospital?
Hon TONY RYALL (Minister of Health) Link to this
Yesterday the Government announced approval of a $208 million upgrade of Middlemore Hospital. This includes a $100 million contribution from central government. The main parts of this approval include completion of the Edmund Hillary block, including additional in-patient beds; the establishment of a clinical services block, including three new theatres; the replacement of the ageing theatres; a 48-bed assessment planning unit; and an 18-bed high dependency unit. This is the single biggest commitment to a hospital redevelopment since 2004.
Dr Paul Hutchison Link to this
When will the people of the Counties Manukau District Health Board area see the benefits of this necessary and significant investment?
The member is right; this is a very necessary development, because the Counties Manukau District Health Board area is predicted to—
Hon David CunliffeNo, it is not an unfunded commitment, but I have inherited $600 million of unfunded capital claims from the Government of that party opposite. This is a very necessary development, because the Counties Manukau District Health Board is predicted to have the highest growth in health demand in the country in the next 20 years. The commissioning of the new wards in the block is expected to occur in the middle of next year, and further construction over that next period will, I am advised, create up to a thousand jobs in South Auckland. Lastly, I am advised that this approval finally means the demolition of Middlemore Hospital’s last remaining World War II buildings. This Government is bringing the health service into the 21st century.
Hon Annette KingWas the Minister told that the three-phase redevelopment of Middlemore Hospital, including the beginning of the Edmund Hillary block, was already under way—and had been for several years—before he announced the redevelopment yesterday as National Party policy, and will he now commit funding to all of phase three of the project; if not, why not?
I missed the question. If an announcement was made that those projects were being completed and there was no money set aside for them, then that is another unfunded commitment made by the Government of that party opposite, together with the $600 million worth of capital requests that it provided no money to cover.