Clutha-Southland MP Hamish Walker has slammed a parliamentary decision to not hold an inquiry into the downgrade of the Lumsden Maternity Centre.

Opposition MP Michael Woodhouse today put a motion that the Health Select Committee Committee conduct an inquiry into the process followed by the Southern District Health Board, leading to the plan for maternity services in the southern region, specifically the decision to downgrade the Lumsden Maternity Centre.

Mr Walker said the motion was voted down this morning by Government MPs – a decision he labelled "absolutely ludicrous" given the recent spate of mothers giving birth in emergency situations in the area.

He said the Government was "putting itself first" with the decision and was continuing to ignore the decision to downgrade the centre

“They are only looking into the circumstances that led to the roadside birth and the roll-out of the hub model. They are not looking into the downgrade decision because they know it is the wrong one."

Mr Walker called out southern List MPs, Labour's Liz Craig and New Zealand's first Mark Patterson, for voting against the inquiry.

“We’ve received nothing more than lip service from our local list MPs, who are obviously quite content with mothers' and babies' safety being put at risk... the truth will come out that the centre should not have been downgraded, I just hope the unthinkable does not happen before it does.”

However, Dr Craig said Labour MPs voted against the motion because an inquiry would have taken too long and the situation needed to be resolved now.

"Also our concerns were not around the Southern DHB’s model of maternity care as proposed, which puts new Maternal and Child Hubs into Te Anau and Wanaka, where urgent birth facilities were not previously available. Rather they were around implementation, where we share many of the local community’s concerns about the appropriate equipment and facilities not being available on time and the need for backup midwifery cover for urgent births,” she said.

She said she had been speaking to both Health Minister David Clark and the Southern DHB about the need for additional midwifery cover for urgent births in Northern Southland, and was pleased to see that that this would now be provided.

"I also welcome the review into the implementation of Southern DHB’s model of care and would expect that at minimum, this would ensure the appropriate equipment is available at Lumsden and Te Anau and that midwifery cover is available at all times for urgent births.”

Mr Patterson said the decision handed down this morning did not distract New Zealand First from "working hard to get the best outcome for Southern mums" and that they remained focused on "supporting the women of Southland".

He said he had been working with Mrs Craig and the DHB to bring the community's concerns to Health Minister David Clark.

"The rural mothers of Northern Southland, and all rural areas, are entitled to the best maternal health care possible and they remain our priority. The establishment of maternal and child hubs in Te Anau and Wanaka is a step in the right direction, and we will continue to build on the momentum already underway."

A petition by Mr Walker to reopen the centre, which received more than 5000 signatures, is still being considered by the Health Select Committee.