Baby Boomers Abandoned to Their Pain
Winston Peters
New Zealand First Leader
Member of
Parliament for Northland
17 AUGUST 2017
Immigration Favoured, Baby Boomers Abandoned to Their Pain
Baby boomers have been forgotten by National in preference for a swathe of immigrants to prop up the economy, says New Zealand First.
“It’s so bad New Zealanders are being forced to sell their houses to pay for hip and knee joint surgery and other operations.
“Over 73,000 immigrants net a year are taking hospital beds in the free public health – qualifying ahead of baby boomers who are stuck on elective surgery lists because of the different nature of the medical treatment.
“That’s an unfair system.
“Many have worked since they were 15 years old, faithfully paid taxes and saved for their retirement.
“Grey Power reports that in a survey 56 of 1500 members said they sold their house to pay for a private elective operation.
“Hundreds of others will be depleting their savings to get surgery, borrowing from family or struggling on with the pain. That’s not a happy retirement.
“National has no excuses and nowhere to hide on this – the baby boomer numbers were well forecast.
“Any sensible hand on the government tiller would have carefully managed health budgets, and dedicated funding for extra demand and no hammering people because they are older,” says Mr Peters.
ENDS