ACT has unveiled plans for New Zealand’s first purpose built comprehensive cancer centre, with campuses in Christchurch and Auckland and an indicative price tag of about $2 billion.

The party has branded the proposal “a Starship for Cancer”, drawing comparisons with the way Starship Children’s Hospital has concentrated specialist care, technology and philanthropic support.

Under the policy, the Christchurch campus would become a major cancer treatment and research centre for the South Island and lower North Island, serving about 40 percent of New Zealand’s population.

The Auckland campus would serve the remaining 60 percent.

ACT List candidate Paul Henry said more than 30,000 New Zealanders were diagnosed with cancer each year, with that figure expected to exceed 45,000 by 2044.

“We should not accept being second-rate at treating a disease that touches almost every family,” Henry said.

“Starship showed what New Zealand can achieve when we concentrate talent, technology, generosity and national ambition around a single mission. ACT wants to do the same for cancer.”

The proposed National Cancer Centre would bring cancer surgery, radiation oncology, genomics, diagnostics, clinical trials and research together across the two campuses.

Its services could include robotic and complex surgery, targeted treatments, cell and gene therapies, advanced imaging, intensive care and early phase through to Phase III clinical trials.

ACT said the model would allow clinicians, researchers, universities, private providers, pharmaceutical companies, patient organisations and philanthropists to work more closely together.

Henry said comprehensive cancer centres were considered the international gold standard and could also help New Zealand retain and attract oncologists, surgeons and medical researchers.

“If New Zealand cannot offer that environment, Australia and other countries will,” he said.

The centres would be developed through a combination of public private partnership financing, charitable donations, existing Crown health investment and other private capital.

ACT has estimated the two campuses could require about $2 billion in capital, although their final cost, design, ownership structure and range of services would be determined through detailed business cases.

The policy does not specify where either campus would be built or provide a construction timetable.

Health New Zealand would be directed to locate its relevant Auckland and Christchurch cancer services at the new campuses and purchase the facilities and clinical services needed to treat publicly funded patients.

Rather than the Crown owning and funding every part of the centres, ACT envisages private capital financing some facilities, with philanthropic donations used to expand their scale and capability.

The party would work with the University of Auckland’s Department of Cancer Sciences and the Christchurch Cancer Foundation to develop the business cases.

It would also establish an independent, not for profit National Cancer Centre Foundation to lead fundraising from businesses, charitable trusts, community organisations and wealthy New Zealanders.

Major donors could receive naming rights to parts of the centres, while what ACT described as a “transformational contribution” could potentially secure naming rights to an entire hospital.

ACT is also proposing to remove the recently introduced $33,333 cap on tax benefits for charitable donations. The change would apply to charitable giving generally, rather than only donations supporting the cancer centres.

Henry said the proposal would create opportunities to attract international clinical trials, private healthcare investment and emerging cancer treatments to New Zealand.

“This is an investment in New Zealand’s future,” he said.

“New Zealand can build one of the world’s great cancer institutions. ACT will make it happen.”