Foreigners Come First With This Government

new-zealand-first-party

Thu May 15 2003 12:00:00 GMT+1200 (New Zealand Standard Time)

Foreigners Come First With This Government

Thursday, 15 May 2003, 10:48 am
Press Release: New Zealand First Party

Foreigners Come First With This Government Says Peters

New Zealand First has called on the Government to stop foreign students skipping the country without paying for their health treatment.

This follows confirmation that district health boards are writing off millions of dollars of debts run up by foreign patients who do not pay their health bills.

The Government is giving the boards $9 million on 1st July to help pay the debts.

Rt Hon Winston Peters said today that foreign students were “stealing” health dollars from New Zealanders and that it was disgraceful the Government was condoning the situation by subsidising them.

“Thousands of taxpaying New Zealanders are being shunted off hospital waiting lists while foreigners are treated free. When will this government learn that its obligations are to the people of this country?”

Mr Peters said the suggestions that the Government was considering making foreign students take out medical insurance was laughable.

“There are so many immigration fiddles going on that there would be no way of enforcing this policy and it is too little too late,” he said.

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