This is edition 2024/170 of the Ten@10 newsletter.
Welcome to the Ten@10, where I collate and summarise ten news items you generally won't see in the mainstream media.
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1. The Government Money Tree and New Hospitals
Michael Bassett
- 🏥 Beware of government promises to fund new hospitals, often leading to chaos as competing interests vie for funds.
- 🏫 The Starship Children's Hospital in Auckland faced similar challenges with debates over site location and demands for extensive facilities.
- 💼 Financial constraints during the Lange ministry forced compromises on the size and scope of the hospital, despite initial opposition.
- 🌐 Similar controversies in Dunedin since 2015 involve politicization, escalating costs, and ongoing debates over facility requirements.
- 💰 The cost for the new Dunedin hospital escalated from $1.2 billion to potentially $3 billion, highlighting fiscal challenges amid political pressures.
- 🎓 Challenges include insufficient patient base for Otago Medical School, necessitating broader clinical training facilities beyond Dunedin.
- 🚧 Calls for government clarity and fiscal restraint in hospital projects underscore ongoing educational and resource management issues in New Zealand.
