Dunedin mayor Jules Radich in the Dunedin City Council's new campaign ambulance, named Cliff. Photo: RNZ / Tess Brunton
Dunedin City Council's Save Our Southern Hospital Campaign is hitting Wellington on Wednesday, where Cliff the Ambulance will deliver a petition to Parliament.
The petition by the New Zealand Nurses Organisation which calls on the government to reverse the announced cuts to the city's new Southern hospital has now been signed by more than 34,000 people.
Officials announced in September that the planned redevelopment would need to be reduced or done in stages, due to a budget blow-out.
The Southern Hospital serves 350,000 people and the largest region of any tertiary hospital in New Zealand. It trains health professionals for all New Zealand.
On the campaign website, organisers said the Southern Hospital build was not expensive or extravagant. It has 410 overnight beds, 53 ED beds and 15 theatres.
Cliff, the old St John Ambulance, created as apart of the council's campaign], will deliver the petition to the steps of Parliament around midday. NZNO delegate Linda Smillie, Dunedin mayor Jules Radich, Waitaki mayor Gary Kircher and Invercargill mayor Nobby Clark will be aboard th ambulance and take part in the handover.