The country's newly minted health minister is expected to make an announcement about the future of the new Dunedin Hospital today (Friday January 31).

The prime minister re-allocated the portfolio to Simeon Brown earlier this month, saying his government would have a "ruthless focus" on health this year.

Brown will be in Dunedin later on today, where it is expected he will share details with the public about the coalition's plan for the new hospital build.

The rebuild has dogged the coalition since September, when it announced a budget blowout and asked Health New Zealand for urgent advice to find ways to keep costs in line.

A government-commissioned report had found plans for the hospital could not be delivered within the $1.88 billion budget set in 2017.

A Wānaka crowd marched in support of Dunedin Hospital in September 2024. PHOTO: Wānaka App

The report projected costs could balloon to $3 billion, a figure the coalition described as unaffordable.

It prompted about 35,000 people to march through Dunedin streets to voice passionate opposition to any cuts to the new hospital.

Cuts, delays, shelving spaces or developing the old hospital site had been put back on the table as ways of reducing costs.

Today's announcement is expected late morning.