Invercargill City Councillors have resolutely backed the ‘They Save, We Pay’ campaign for Dunedin Hospital, standing united in the fight for essential healthcare services.

Invercargill Mayor Nobby Clark said the proposed budget overspend cuts to the Dunedin Hospital project would impact more than just the people of Dunedin and Otago.

“The Dunedin Hospital provides a vital lifeline to everyone across the Otago and Southland regions. On any given day it’s estimated that up to a quarter or so of all patients in the hospital come from Invercargill, Southland and Waitaki, so it’s imperative that we show our support against the proposed budget cuts.

“I’m sure many of us will have friends or family members who have travelled to Dunedin for surgery or other medical issues. I, myself, spent time in Dunedin Hospital after undergoing heart surgery at the start of the year, so understand how essential these services are to our city.”

Council would support and promote the campaign through a number of activities and initiatives aimed at encouraging the public to sign the ‘They Save, We Pay’ online petition and make submissions to the Government.

The ‘Invercargill Pays, Too’ tagline would be used locally to show solidarity in the campaign and reinforce the message that the proposed cuts also impacted those in the south.

“Ultimately the people of Invercargill will pay the price for these cuts and we’d urge the Government to save people rather than pennies,” Clark said.

Further information on the Council’s support of the Dunedin Hospital campaign can be found at: www.icc.govt.nz/hospital