New Zealand’s first-ever Health Infrastructure Plan has been released, outlining a $20 billion strategy to renew and expand the country’s public health facilities.

Health Minister Simeon Brown says the plan will address serious issues caused by ageing infrastructure.

The average age of buildings across New Zealand’s 1,274 public health facilities is 47 years.

Many require major repairs, seismic upgrades, or can’t support modern care.

“This is a first for New Zealand – a single, long-term plan that lays out a clear pipeline for health infrastructure,” Minister Brown said.

“It’s about ensuring New Zealanders continue to receive high-quality care in safe, modern facilities.”

Rather than building mega-hospitals in one go, the Government will use a new approach called ‘Building Hospitals Better’.

Facilities will be delivered in smaller, staged phases—allowing faster access to modern care, better cost control, and greater delivery certainty.

The plan will be rolled out over three to four stages.

It includes major builds and upgrades across the country, such as new emergency departments, acute services buildings, and inpatient units.

It also supports a new South Auckland hospital, announced earlier this year, to cater to the region’s rapid growth.

Alongside hospitals, the plan proposes ambulatory hubs in local communities—bringing services like radiology, oncology, and dialysis closer to patients while easing pressure on large hospitals.

Each project will still require a business case and Cabinet funding approval.

“This is a critical step forward,” Minister Brown said.

“We now have a long-term path to modernise our healthcare infrastructure and deliver better health outcomes for New Zealanders.”

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