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'Major milestone': New Waikato medical school approved with $80m+ Govt funding

Author
NZ Herald,
Publish Date
Mon, 21 Jul 2025, 3:59pm

'Major milestone': New Waikato medical school approved with $80m+ Govt funding

Author
NZ Herald,
Publish Date
Mon, 21 Jul 2025, 3:59pm

A $230 million medical school will be established at the University of Waikato, the Government has announced.

Health Minister Simeon Brown and Universities Minister Shane Reti announced the new school on Monday, saying Cabinet had agreed to the business case.

鈥淐abinet has approved the business case for the new school, which will have a strong focus on primary care and rural health,鈥 Brown said.

鈥淲ith $82.85 million in Government funding and over $150 million from the University, supported by philanthropic investment, this is a substantial commitment to education and regional development in the Waikato.

鈥淭oday鈥檚 decision will enable the University of Waikato to begin construction on new teaching facilities later this year and start planning for clinical placements, while giving more students the opportunity to study medicine in New Zealand,鈥 Brown said.

Brown said that starting in 2028 the school would add 120 medical training places each year.

鈥淭his is on top of the 100 additional medical training places that are being added over the term of this Government across the University of Auckland and University of Otago,鈥 Brown said.

The medical school was controversial on the election campaign. Labour said it would not open a new medical school, but had a policy of adding places to New Zealand鈥檚 existing medical schools.

Labour said it would train an extra 335 doctors every year from 2027.

Health Minister Simeon Brown and Universities Minister Shane Reti announced the new school on Monday, saying Cabinet had agreed to the business case.

鈥淐abinet has approved the business case for the new school, which will have a strong focus on primary care and rural health,鈥 Brown said.

鈥淲ith $82.85 million in Government funding and over $150 million from the University, supported by philanthropic investment, this is a substantial commitment to education and regional development in the Waikato.

鈥淭oday鈥檚 decision will enable the University of Waikato to begin construction on new teaching facilities later this year and start planning for clinical placements, while giving more students the opportunity to study medicine in New Zealand,鈥 Brown said.

Brown said from 2028, the school would add 120 medical training places each year.

鈥淭his is on top of the 100 additional medical training places that are being added over the term of this Government across the University of Auckland and University of Otago,鈥 Brown said.

The medical school was controversial in the election campaign. Labour said it would not open a new medical school, but had a policy of adding places to NZ鈥檚 existing medical schools.

Labour said it would train an extra 335 doctors every year from 2027 by expanding capacity at the existing two schools.

At the 2023 election, the National Party campaigned on building the medical school.

However the post-election coalition agreement with Act made any decision to establish the school subject to a business case. Act leader David Seymour raised concerns with some of the thinking behind the early policy work on the school, putting the project in doubt.

He put out a press release taking credit for forcing the University to shoulder a greater proportion of the cost of the new school.

鈥淚nitial estimates forecast that the taxpayer would need to stump up $280 million. Today鈥檚 announcement confirms they will only need to invest $82.5 million.

鈥淭his is down to Waikato University agreeing to contribute a higher proportion of the medical school鈥檚 costs. ACT鈥檚 rigorous questioning helped ensure a more efficient investment meaning Kiwis get better outcomes for less,鈥 Seymour said.

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