The new Southern Lakes Health Trust report aligns with the component of the Regional Deal proposal that Central Otago and Queenstown Lakes district councils are partners of.

Mayor Tamah Alley was on the steering committee of the trust, which was exploring partnerships with the private sector to invest in services and infrastructure to benefit the region.

The report https://www.southernlakeshealthtrust.nz/health-project/ was sent to Minister of Health Hon Simeon Brown in February 2025, and was a collaborative effort, led by Joseph Mooney, MP for Southland, involving Health New Zealand, CODC, QLDC, rural health providers, iwi, including kaupapa Māori health providers, and the community.

“We have a clear objective; to expedite planning and investment in health services and infrastructure in Otago Central Lakes,” Joseph said.

The group was now waiting on feedback and director from the Minister on the report, and how that would help inform work on a health assessment for the area.

“70 per cent of New Zealanders who live two or more hours from a hospital live in Otago Central Lakes. Our proposal will bring healthcare closer to our residents and help to reduce demand on our regions’ base hospitals in Dunedin and Invercargill,” Mayor Alley said.

The trust’s approach would lead to a far more streamlined and effective healthcare for the rapidly growing population, which was currently at 155,596 and expected to double by 2054.

The report offered a practical way forward: partnering with private hospitals, clinics and investors already in the planning process or building in the Southern Lakes area. 

By working together, they could include publicly-funded health services in private infrastructure projects; to bring more care close to home, without waiting years for new public builds. 

This collaborative approach would ease pressure on overstretched services and deliver lasting benefits for the entire region.

The report warned the Minister about creating a two-tier health system, where services were only close to home for those who could afford it, while everyone else would still have to drive hours for care.

With the Minister’s support, a working group would be established to work with Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora to progress the proposed solutions. 

Community engagement and consultation would follow to ensure the healthcare needs of everyone in the Southern Lakes Region.

The report proposed a regional model of care delivered across three key locations: Queenstown, Wānaka, and Central Otago, with six early-stage public-private partnerships already identified. 

These projects are ready for collaboration:

• Southern Lakes Public Hospital (location to be determined). A proposed privately financed facility with full public hospital services and future capacity to become a regional hospital. 
• Lakeview Te Taumata Clinic (Queenstown). A private surgical hospital expected to open in 2027, with opportunities for maternity care and workforce development.
• Integrated Care Hub (Wānaka). A planned day surgery with potential space for publicly funded after-hours services.
• Wānaka Health Precinct. A private surgical hospital designed with capacity to integrate public services.
• Aged Care Facilities (Clyde) Currently under construction, with potential to expand into a full suite of publicly funded services for older people in Central Otago. 
• Central Otago: Securing land and investors for future public health infrastructure, based on the outcomes of other projects

The trust was also seeking $2 million in funding to complete the groundwork for:

• Community consultation
• Clinical design and planning processes
• Technical assessments and detailed business cases that Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora can work with.

And there are other ways to get involved:

• They’re exploring innovative mobile modular units that can be used as consultation rooms, clinics, or staff accommodation.

The Strategic Report can be viewed at: https://www.southernlakeshealthtrust.nz/health-project/