The New East Wing Building, Te Rau Mātāpuna o Taranaki, at Taranaki Base Hospital has opened its doors to the first patients after receiving $450 million of government investment and an additional $6 million donated by local businesses, groups and individuals through the Taranaki Health Foundation. This generous local support has helped provide enhancements that will add to the comfort of patients and whānau using the facility.
Associate Health Minister Matt Doocey officially opened The New East Wing Building on 25 June 2026, with the first patients being admitted from 29 June. The 22,000 square metre building is the new home for Radiology, Emergency, Maternity, Neonatal and ICU, as well as having a new laboratory and rooftop helipad. The new facility brings acute services under one roof and has been designed to provide efficiencies that will provide patients with the best care possible.
Taranaki Health Foundation General Manager Grant Carter says he is encouraged to see the commitment shown by central government to this project. “This investment from the government in regional healthcare will have a huge impact on thousands of people across Taranaki. Our fundraising tops up this funding to ensure no compromises have to be made” says Grant Carter.
$6 million has been donated to the New East Wing Building by local businesses, community groups and hundreds of individuals. This is in addition to the $2.2 million that was raised by the community for the Taranaki Cancer Centre, which opened in 2025. The community also donated almost $500,000 to the mental health rehabilitation facility, Te Puna Wai Kātea which opened in 2024 and $250,000 to the Renal Unit, Te Huhi Rāupo which opened in 2023. “The local community has been fantastic, with over $8.8 million donated to local healthcare projects in the last five years.” says Grant Carter.
Toi Foundation committed to supporting the New East Wing Building early on with a donation of $2 million given in 2020 to help ensure the new Neonatal space would be able to provide spaces for families to stay and develop early bonds with their babies. This commitment to the project before the first groundworks had been done showed how much Toi Foundation believe in the importance of this development for the region. ��
In 2022, Methanex NZ began a 10-year partnership with the Taranaki Health Foundation, committing to donating $2 million to create the Methanex Neonatal Unit. Methanex has had a long-standing relationship with the Taranaki Health Foundation. In 2016, the organisation donated $1.2 million to the Angiography Suite at Taranaki Base Hospital.
Methanex New Zealand Manufacturing Director Alistair Simmers says the organisation is excited to continue supporting local healthcare in Taranaki. “We are proud of our partnership with the Taranaki Health Foundation. Making sure our smallest patients have the best start in life is important to us, and something that many of our staff have a deep, personal connection with.”
In 2024, Rapid Relief Team NZ pledged $1.5 million to the newly built Intensive Care Unit. Rapid Relief Team, which is the charitable arm of the Plymouth Brethren Christian Church, supports organisations across New Zealand to provide care and practical support to those in need. The charity is made up of committed businesses and individuals who believe in giving back to the community. Over 30 local businesses and families donated to create the $1.5 million fund that will help create the Rapid Relief Team ICU.
RRT New Zealand Director Cameron Prestidge says this contribution reflects the generosity of local people. “This is about helping deliver an innovative hospital that meets the needs of the growing Taranaki region. The support from locals has been incredible, and we are glad we can make a combined, significant contribution to this new ICU, through the Taranaki Health Foundation.”
With their donation, we have been able to provide upgraded equipment, beds and chairs throughout the unit and ensure that whānau spaces are available to provide comfortable and peaceful spaces for families in need.
In addition to the three major donors to individual departments, there has been support from hundreds of other businesses, groups and individuals. 28 rooms in the New East Wing Building are sponsored, with gifts ranging from $10,000 to $75,000. Each of these sponsored rooms has a plaque in them with a message from the donor about why they chose to sponsor the room.
In November 2025, three members of Solve Insurance advisers ran over 500km in 48-hours to raise money. Almost $10,000 was donated over a three-day period, which will be used to sponsor an Acute Assessment Room.
New World New Plymouth have had a payroll giving scheme in place, giving their staff the opportunity to donate a percentage of their pay to Maternity. The total amount donated each month is then matched by New World New Plymouth owners Christine Kovaleski and John Gray. In just 18 months they have raised almost $20,000 which has sponsored a room and provided specialised breastfeeding chairs.
The Taranaki Health Foundation remains committed to supporting local health care in the coming years. 100% of every dollar received by the Taranaki Health Foundation is used to provide healthcare enhancements in Taranaki. This local support helps provide Taranaki with upgraded healthcare equipment or services we would otherwise miss out on or allows us to purchase equipment sooner that would otherwise be possible.
With the opening of the New East Wing Building, Taranaki is lucky to have one of the most advanced acute care centres in regional New Zealand. The work is not over though, and the Taranaki Health Foundation will be continuing to fundraise and work with Health New Zealand Taranaki for enhancements in both New Plymouth and Hāwera.
