Opinion: plan for the future set out in roadshow

Otago Daily Times

09-07-2025

We humans are social animals. It's our collective choices, and how we work together, that shapes our society.
Most people realise that no-one individual can build a hospital, a university, or a national rail service alone.
Collectively however, through public investment and shared purpose, we can maintain and enhance the services that provide for our wellbeing.
Building our shared future with wellbeing for all means investment in jobs, infrastructure and climate action.
Unfortunately, 40 years of bad fiscal programming have produced devastating real-world results, as our hospitals, schools and infrastructure fall apart.
But it doesn't have to be this way. And now, it's time for a reset.
That's exactly what the Greens will be bringing to Ōtepoti Dunedin on July 25; a vision for an economy for the people, by the people.
We'll be sharing our proposals for the South, discussing the opportunities for our southern healthcare and much more.
In our travels around the motu so far, we've encountered real anger at this government's disdain for local voices, disdain for community wellbeing and its intention to destroy so much that makes our place special.
At the same time, we've encountered real optimism that this is little more than a temporary toxic interlude and encountered great enthusiasm for the Green vision that we've presented in our emissions reduction plan, our green industrial strategy, our green budget and the green fiscal strategy to deliver for people and planet.
We've prepared detailed plans for the task ahead to restore trust in government, to raise up local and regional government, ensuring a more equitable society that we will deliver in the next government.
These plans involve a publicly funded Southern Hospital (including the new inpatient building, a stand-alone, publicly provided pathology unit and an inter-professional learning centre), restoration of regional passenger rail, beginning with the Southerner between Ōtepoti Dunedin and Ōtautahi Christchurch, and; restoring delivery capability for Kāinga Ora to deliver new housing at scale, addressing the growing affordability and homelessness challenges in our community.
The Green Budget Roadshow with Greens co-leader Chloe Swarbrick will arrive in Ōtepoti Dunedin on July 25 and will begin with a public meeting at Errick's, from 5.30pm-6.30pm.
If you want to be part of creating a better future together, we'd love to see you.
Let's focus on the change we need for people and planet.