Scoop has an Ethical Paywall
Work smarter with a Pro licence Learn More
Parliament

Gordon Campbell | Parliament TV | Parliament Today | Video | Questions Of the Day | Search

 

We've given 'birth' to yet another stupidity!

Marc My Words.

From Marc Alexander MP. 29th August 2003

United Future NZ-Christchurch Supplement

We've given 'birth' to yet another stupidity!

While our own citizens queue up for life-saving and 'quality of life' medical procedures, the elderly are put on hold for treatments and those with breast cancer wait in line for radiation therapy, taxpayers are footing the bill for nationals of other countries to come here and have their babies. This situation is absurd and a breach of our social responsibilities.

I am incredulous that with the strain on our public health system we are able to extend expensive benefits to those who deliberately take advantage of us to the tune of a $1000 dollars a day, and then we reward them with the right of citizenship!!

The American anti-nuclear activists Stephen Kent and Melanie Meer who came here specifically to profit from the citizenship bonus should have those rights revoked. Why should some people be given the privilege of NZ citizenship without the normal screening processes that all immigrants have to go through, and have us pay for it?

Mr. Kent said that they wanted their children to have the chance to adopt New Zealand's 'nuclear-free heritage'. All very nice, but shouldn't it be the rest of us who decide whom we want to live here, and to whom we confer the rights of citizenship?

There are a number of issues here; what resources we put into the health system should rightfully go to those who paid for these through their taxes. They should not be frittered away on foreigners who choose to have elective medical procedures here. If overseas nationals do seek medical treatments then they should pay. These people are not party to our ethical obligations (for humanitarian reasons) such as in the case of the little girl from one of our Pacific neighbours who came here recently to be treated for severe burns. Finally, there is no reason why we should extend the right to members of other countries with whom we do not have reciprocal arrangements.

We must not allow our generosity to get the better of us. We are being, and will continue to be, taken advantage of. This is one issue where we must 'cut the cord'.

ENDS

Advertisement - scroll to continue reading

Are you getting our free newsletter?

Subscribe to Scoop’s 'The Catch Up' our free weekly newsletter sent to your inbox every Monday with stories from across our network.

© Scoop Media

Advertisement - scroll to continue reading
 
 
 
Parliament Headlines | Politics Headlines | Regional Headlines


Gordon Campbell: On The US Opposition To Mortgage Interest Deductibility For Landlords


Should landlords be able to deduct the interest on the loans they take out to bankroll their property speculation? The US Senate Budget Committee and Bloomberg News don't think this is a good idea, for reasons set out below. Regardless, our coalition government has been burning through a ton of political capital by giving landlords a huge $2.9 billion tax break via interest deductibility, while still preaching the need for austerity to the disabled, and to everyone else...
More


 
 

Government: Concerns Conveyed To China Over Cyber Activity
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has confirmed New Zealand’s concerns about cyber activity have been conveyed directly to the Chinese Government. “The Prime Minister and Minister Collins have expressed concerns today about malicious cyber activity... More

ALSO:


Government: GDP Decline Reinforces Government’s Fiscal Plan

Declining GDP for the December quarter reinforces the importance of restoring fiscal discipline to public spending and driving more economic growth, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says... More

ALSO:


Government: Humanitarian Support For Gaza & West Bank

Winston Peters has announced NZ is providing a further $5M to respond to the extreme humanitarian need in Gaza and the West Bank. “The impact of the Israel-Hamas conflict on civilians is absolutely appalling," he said... More


Government: New High Court Judge Appointed

Judith Collins has announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister Jason Scott McHerron as a High Court Judge. Justice McHerron graduated from the University of Otago with a BA in English Literature in 1994 and an LLB in 1996... More

 
 
 
 
 
 

LATEST HEADLINES

  • PARLIAMENT
  • POLITICS
  • REGIONAL
 
 

InfoPages News Channels


 
 
 
 

Join Our Free Newsletter

Subscribe to Scoop’s 'The Catch Up' our free weekly newsletter sent to your inbox every Monday with stories from across our network.