Health New Zealand (Te Whatu Ora) has refused to reveal the rental costs for a sick baby unit in Lower Hutt that has not been built.
In November 2022, Health NZ announced that it had leased space at the former Te Awakairangi Birthing Centre in Lower Hutt for a transitional care unit. The birthing facility, funded by the Wright Family Foundation, had closed the year before despite efforts by the community to save it.
Earlier this year, the Herald uncovered that the unit had been quietly canceled. Local MPs expressed disappointment, and Health Minister Simeon Brown requested an explanation about why the unit had not been established.
Hutt South MP Chris Bishop voiced his frustration. He said that when the transitional care unit was first announced, there had been great excitement in the community. “Health NZ needs to deliver on what they promised and make use of this purpose-built birthing facility they are still paying rent on,” he said.
The Herald filed a request under the Official Information Act, asking how much rent had been paid for the facility. Health NZ refused to disclose the amount, citing concerns that releasing the information could harm the commercial interests of the landlord.
Monique Fouwler, the head of land and property at Health NZ, said the organization was in talks with another health provider to take over the lease. However, due to commercial reasons, she said further details could not be shared, but the public would be informed once a decision was made.
The Herald has filed a complaint with the Ombudsman over the refusal to disclose the rent details.
Labour MP Ginny Andersen criticized Health NZ for lacking transparency. “Te Whatu Ora must be open with the public about how much is being spent on this facility,” she said.
While Health Minister Simeon Brown did not respond directly to questions about the secretive nature of the rental costs, he revealed that the decision not to proceed with the unit was made in August 2023.
“This decision was made under the previous government, which promised but did not deliver on the project and failed to communicate the decision before the election,” Brown explained.
This information came as a surprise to Andersen, who had previously raised the issue with former Health Minister Shane Reti. Andersen’s questions had not received satisfactory answers, and the revelation about the August decision was not included in Reti’s responses.
Health NZ’s funding and hospitals director, Rachel Haggerty, clarified that the decision to cancel the unit was made without ministerial direction. “It was an operational matter for Health NZ,” Haggerty explained. “The former Minister of Health was informed afterward.”
Despite the cancellation, Haggerty assured that Health NZ remains committed to providing maternity services in the Hutt Valley and improving services for mothers and babies.
Chris Bishop expressed little surprise at the secrecy surrounding the decision. “I think people can figure out why,” he said. “The bottom line is, I want the purpose-built facility to be used for primary health care in the Hutt, and I’ve been pushing for this as a local MP for years.”
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