$3 prescription charges
The Dom Post reported:
Poorer New Zealanders are ending up in hospital because they cannot afford to pay for medicines prescribed to them, a study has found.
Maori and Pacific people are especially hard-hit and the study’s author says the only way to ensure equality is for the Government to lower co-payments – the amount patients have to pay for each prescription.
I’m not so sure. We’ll look at details in a minute, but first I’ll make the general point that even when certain health services are free, such as immunisations, they are not fully taken up.
The research, published in the international Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, found more than six per cent of the 18,000 people surveyed had put off filling a prescription for financial reasons at least once a year.
So 94% do manage to pay the $3 charge. To me that suggests that rather than scrap the fee for everyone, you look at targeting assistance to those on the lowest incomes or greatest health needs.
Who should someone like me not pay the $3?
The other query I have, is were those 6% facing purely the $3 charge, or was there an additional part-charge for some of them as the medicine was not fully subsidised?
That figure jumped to 15 per cent for Pacific people and 14 per cent for Maori.
The results were alarming, lead researcher Santosh Jatrana said.
“We were not expecting that much difference between ethnicities.”
Maori and Pacific people not only tended to be more deprived but were also more likely to have greater health needs, Dr Jatrana said.
But they also have the lowest immunisation rates, and they are free. There may be cultural factors at play, beyond price.
It was worrying that people who had two or more illnesses – and often needed multiple prescriptions – were also avoiding picking up prescriptions, she said.
“Deferral of necessary drugs is only going to make their conditions worse.
“People who put off buying prescription drugs because of cost are more likely to be admitted to hospital with serious acute conditions as they haven’t purchased medication or gone to their GP.”
Overseas studies had shown that people who could not afford all their medication resorted to giving themselves half-doses, skipping doses or spending less on basic needs such as electricity or food.
There was a clear message from the study, Dr Jatrana said. “We need to reduce the co-payments. It’s very simple and straightforward.”
Not at all. Someone has to pay for all these drugs. If 94% of people are paying without problem, why would you stop charging them?
Target the people most in need I say.
July 15th, 2010 at 12:11 pm
Doctors write many prescriptions that are not “curative” from cough medicine, to paracetamol to sunscreen and viagra. Not all are absolutely necessary for improving health outcomes and not all are subsidised. Theree seem to be some gaps in the knowledge oaround what sort of prescriptions go unfilled and what are the negative effects of the medicine not being taken/applied.
It may also be less embarrasing to say that scrips are too expensive than to say that the patient knew better than the doctor.
July 15th, 2010 at 12:14 pm
“That figure jumped to 15 per cent for Pacific people and 14 per cent for Maori. ”
$3 is a quarter of the price of a pack of fags, or about 1/4 of the price of a bucket of KFC.
I refuse to accept that anybody in NZ cannot afford $3 for a prescription.
July 15th, 2010 at 12:16 pm
If you give stuff away for free then people don’t value it and you get all sorts of wastage. These researchers have no idea!
I recall an interview with a doctor who had come from the UK and mentioned how with the NHS and free doctors visits some patients made appointments just because they wanted someone to talk to! At the public hospitals here often patients don’t turn up for free specialist visits and don’t bother calling to cancel as there is nothing to lose for them.
July 15th, 2010 at 12:17 pm
What a load of nonsense, I find it very hard to swallow the finding’s of this research report. Heading to the emergency ward over a $ 3 dollar prescription? if anything it is an education issue, they don’t know how to define ‘emergency only’. I know of people that head into the local hospital ward over a sore tummy, fussing over the potential disease that it could lead to.
This is a result of SCIENCE being neglected in NZ school’s.
Surely, poverty in this country isn’t as bad as this report suggests? MSD is the largest government portfolio for goodness sake.
July 15th, 2010 at 12:19 pm
Anthony good point:
http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/news/3809950/Thousands-in-drugs-wasted
Leading horse’s to water seems appropriate.
July 15th, 2010 at 12:20 pm
I struggle to see how anyone who cares about their health or their kid’s health can’t manage $3 per prescription. I know some people run on tight budgets but $3 should hardly be a budget breaker, other expenses would vary more in a month than that.
I have no problem paying prescription charges, but I could easily choose not to fill a prescription for “financial reasons” – not all prescriptions are essentials for health, and some are filled out “just in case you need it” so I wouldn’t spend money just in case.
There should be a way of dealing the few who are truly in need.
July 15th, 2010 at 12:24 pm
For people with disordered lives and who are caring for multiple people across generations, getting one person to the doctor for an immunisation is a task that can be easily put off to another day (for cost and time saving reasons) without very much increase in risk.
However, if you go to the doctor and walk out with a presciption then you are usually right next door to a pharmacy. There is not much extra effort/time needed to walk in the pharmacy door so it is more likely to be about cost rather than ambivalence.
(Although I concur with David that some people won’t agree with the doctor’s advice and sometimes they are “just in case” prescriptions.)
Is the high service user’s card still available? Can’t some of the targetting be done based on that?
July 15th, 2010 at 12:27 pm
If 94% are paying without a problem that begs the question; why is the charge so low. Why isn’t it $5 or even $10.00.
$10 is not unreasonable and will reduce waste and encourage people to take better care of their health.
Now watch the moaners and groaners want it all for nothing.
July 15th, 2010 at 12:27 pm
Some people just don’t have $3 in their account.
July 15th, 2010 at 12:32 pm
Some people just do not regard personal health as a priority.
July 15th, 2010 at 12:35 pm
If the Government fully subsidises some health care services, doesn’t that reduce the amount it can subsidise others? Our health budget is not unlimited! As Anthony has suggested, a small co-payment seems sensible at least because it encourages people to use a service more carefully.
July 15th, 2010 at 12:45 pm
“There may be cultural factors at play, beyond price.”
I agree DPF, but how are we going to know unless we romove the obsticle of price first? The revenue from the $3 is triffeling in the larger scheme of things anyhow. That said, it would make more sense to limit free prescriptions to people with community service cards.
July 15th, 2010 at 12:48 pm
Honest John, knowing we don’t have infinite resources for health care, don’t we want people to use health care sensibly, whether or not they have community service cards?
July 15th, 2010 at 12:50 pm
Christ, a study which shows New Zealand’s welfare state isn’t quite big enough. Just what we need.
Frankly if just 6% of people responding to a survey which asks “have you ever needed a bit more money” say yes then there isn’t a problem.
July 15th, 2010 at 12:52 pm
The people of the kiwiblog right would rather rant spitefully and endlessly about people from other cultures than spend a few days doing volunteer work in disadvantaged communities trying to understand the issues that they face. You people are disgusting.
July 15th, 2010 at 12:52 pm
Like many above, I find it incredible that some people “can’t afford” $3.
Perhaps more effort should be put into finding out why such a trivial amount is see as so insurmountable?
If you remove it, and it doesn’t work, then what? Have people going house to house putting pills in people’s mouths? At some point, people must take responsibility for their own health.
Oh, and there is no longer a “high use health card” – the Labour government apparently made things so cheap for everyone that it’s no longer needed.
July 15th, 2010 at 1:01 pm
For years on the likes of Radio NZ all sorts of experts etc would trot out the old lack of access to this that or the other barring this group or that from whatever. Enter your favourite prejudice into the relevant space.
One day,finally,Linda Clark,pushed one of these apologists (surprise,surprise,shock horror!) and it turns out the barriers,etc etc turn out to be………couldn’t be arsed to turnup,follow up etc.
Same with child dental care…..great service we have here in NZ……whose kids don’t go,whose kids end up in hospital with the most preventable of problems,yep you got it, enter the usual suspects!
Three dollars! You got to be kidding!
Let’s just keep making excuses for these people…….and then the academics wonder why every sensible person on this planet is laughing at them!
July 15th, 2010 at 1:02 pm
“The people of the kiwiblog right would rather rant spitefully and endlessly about people from other cultures than spend a few days doing volunteer work in disadvantaged communities trying to understand the issues that they face. You people are disgusting.”
No. What’s disgusting is that you assume things about people based on your own prejudices. You in fact have no idea what any people here do in their free time. for all you know, there are people here who’s comments are shaped by doing exactly what you think they avoid.
July 15th, 2010 at 1:09 pm
http://halfdone.wordpress.com/2008/03/06/charity-or-not/
July 15th, 2010 at 1:12 pm
Honest John,
I live in South Auckland and work alongside 300 people of different races, mostly Islanders. The biggest issue they poor have is as Kowtow says ‘(surprise,surprise,shock horror!) and it turns out the barriers,etc etc turn out to be………couldn’t be arsed to turn up, follow up etc’ and they will admit this to me when you are one on one with them.
The other problem is the family and church commitments I just had one of my staff ask for an advance to help pay for a funeral for his wife’s mother there part was $2000.00 when asked the whole funeral was going to be $4000 I couldn’t help so he went straight out to one of the loan sharks and is now being charged 30%, this person has a young family and is struggling and I wish i could help but i have a budget that i have to keep to
July 15th, 2010 at 1:13 pm
“The people of the kiwiblog right would rather rant spitefully and endlessly about people from other cultures than spend a few days doing volunteer work in disadvantaged communities trying to understand the issues that they face. You people are disgusting.”
Actually I’m pretty busy working 2 jobs so that my family can enjoy a decent lifestyle now and my wife and I can enjoy a pleasant retirement later.
July 15th, 2010 at 1:31 pm
I am utterly disgusted that you are stealing one job off of another eager worker so you can be wealthy OTGO.
Have you no shame? Get on the dole straight away like Honest John.
July 15th, 2010 at 1:34 pm
Depends what you mean by wealthy Johnboy. I can afford the prescription fee that’s for sure. I’d like to be wealthy one day but I’m not hanging around waiting for my lotto balls to come out.
July 15th, 2010 at 1:37 pm
I had to go to hospital last month: terrible place. All the lights were off, staff sullen and uncommunicative, those that did speak didn’t use english, whole place cold, wafer-thin blankets, nothing to eat, couldn’t tell the difference between the wards and the corridors. Thank god I was only visiting.
July 15th, 2010 at 1:44 pm
It is not always $3. You only pay $3 if the GP you are registered with writes the prescription. If the prescription is written in a public or private hospital, or by a specialist or any other medical centre than your registered one, it is $15. Admittedly ‘repeats’ of such prescriptions written by your GP are $3.
July 15th, 2010 at 1:44 pm
Scrub – i’m still waiting for someone from the far right to make up some story about doing volunteer work in disadvantaged communities. Granted there will be some with reality-based views, but the vast majority will be atomised suburban spectacularised arm-chair activists.
July 15th, 2010 at 1:47 pm
Of course the lack of $3 may well be due to the fact that my local pub, like many in the suburbs has it’s busiest days on Tuesday and Thursday – benefits day apparently. The pokies are continuously occupied all day. Oh and a great many are smokers as well.
So $3 is possible, but education is lacking.
July 15th, 2010 at 1:48 pm
Johnboy – in fact i own a business – i’m just not a begrudging, insular rightist. I have a good lifestyle, and i’d like to see more of my fellow New Zealanders enjoying the fruits of the enlightenment. That’s my life-perspective.
July 15th, 2010 at 1:49 pm
scrubone @ 12.52pm “Like many above, I find it incredible that some people “can’t afford” $3.”
Remember it’s not a prescription charge it’s a charge per item prescribed.
July 15th, 2010 at 1:49 pm
That’s a pertinent point. What proportion of those that don’t get a prescription on financial grounds should be able to afford the charge if they exercised reasonable priorities, and how many are genuinely unable to afford it?
July 15th, 2010 at 1:57 pm
Here’s an interesting thing to do next time you are driving through Otara, Papanui, South Dunedin or Wainuiomata (ok I may have some middle class suburbs in there but you get the drift) is have a look at the number of state houses that have a sky dish. You will be suprised at the amount. There goes your prescription fees right there.
July 15th, 2010 at 2:00 pm
What do you charge to mow an average sized lawn then HJ? My bloke is far too expensive.
July 15th, 2010 at 2:03 pm
Johnboy – that depends on how attractive your wife is
July 15th, 2010 at 2:03 pm
On the subject of “free healthcare”
Why is it that if I break my arm, the taxpayer pays for it
But if I break my tooth, I have to pay for it
July 15th, 2010 at 2:04 pm
From memory the high use limit kicks in at 20 items for a family, ie $60. there is a case for looking at part charges, cannot recall if they cease after 20
Like someone else noted most state houses have Sky dishes, many state house people seem to have flat screen TVs and XBoxes
July 15th, 2010 at 2:05 pm
fruits of the enlightenment……
Oxford Dict; “The Enlightenment; a European intellectual movement of the late 17 Cent emphasizing reason and individualism rather than tradition.”
Note not paternalistic socialism,with a tinge of anti white racism thrown in for good measure,which is what the apologists are about!
July 15th, 2010 at 2:05 pm
She’s a pedigree Merino blonde.
July 15th, 2010 at 2:07 pm
Johnboy, I am surprized at you. A friend has two lawn mowers, one called
Masport [obviously] and the other Jason [of the Golden Fleece] – both are sheep.
July 15th, 2010 at 2:08 pm
Because if a thug breaks your tooth or arm Lipo you still have to pay for it.
July 15th, 2010 at 2:09 pm
Are you saying my wife should mow the lawn Yvette?
July 15th, 2010 at 2:13 pm
Why not?
July 15th, 2010 at 2:14 pm
“Scrub – i’m still waiting for someone from the far right to make up some story about doing volunteer work in disadvantaged communities.”
I have no idea what you’re trying to say here, mainly because “far right” usually means whatever people want it to. What do *you* want it to mean?
July 15th, 2010 at 2:16 pm
It’s full price then Johnboy – i don’t go for blonds. No good in the sack.
July 15th, 2010 at 2:16 pm
I’ve always liked the much cuter Perendale http://www.perendalenz.com/ Johnboy. Bred in NZ and just had their 50th anniversary.
July 15th, 2010 at 2:20 pm
Up to 1892/kg in the sack feels good to me HJ.
http://www.interest.co.nz/rural/sheep/wool
July 15th, 2010 at 2:22 pm
I’ll tell her you said she should mow it Yvette.
July 15th, 2010 at 2:22 pm
You wouldn’t have a cute brunette socialist neice that baby-sits for you? Actually she doesn’t have to be a socialist. She could be an Act-voter – they’re always up for it, i demand, they supply
July 15th, 2010 at 2:30 pm
« Un jour d’été parfait est quand le soleil est brillant, la brise souffle, les oiseaux chantent, et la tondeuse à gazon est cassée. »
July 15th, 2010 at 2:32 pm
Johnboy – the wieght is irrelivent. You always end up with that horrible oily rash.
July 15th, 2010 at 2:34 pm
I think we are about to get a kick in the ass for threadjacking so I’m off to GD.
July 15th, 2010 at 2:36 pm
Ooops – pardon!
July 15th, 2010 at 3:08 pm
I beg your pardon? Can’t afford it? I call bulls**t!
Here’s why!
Last year my wife was ill, after a visit to the doctor ($45.00), and a prescription, I trotted off down to the local Pharmacy to get the drugs for my wife. Cost to myself for one small bottle of pills, $40.00.
Just ahead of me was a lady of pacific island extraction, who spoke hardly any english, and was getting a prescription filled. This involved a very large bag pf medications, lotions, and the like. Bag was about the size of an a4 sheet, and was full! As some of the medications were of a restricted nature, she was asked her address, which she gave. It was a housing corporation house in a nearby street, where the entire street is taken up by housing corp flats. It’s a notorious street in Northcote.
Her prescription charge? $4.00!
Don’t tell me that poorer pacific island and maori cannot afford the meet prescription charges. It’s about making choices.
July 15th, 2010 at 3:14 pm
Lipo
“But if I break my tooth, I have to pay for it”
No you don’t, all you have to say is that you fell out of the pub pissed, smashed your face on the curb and our fucking ACC system will pay for the repairs.
July 15th, 2010 at 3:21 pm
I have always believed welfare should be given out on the basis of need unlike Labour which gave handouts to everybody so that no one missed out. Your comment about cultural plays should read ignorance plays.
July 15th, 2010 at 3:23 pm
I’ve been so poor (on welfare) that I’ve had to search the pockets of every jacket hanging in the wardrobe to scrape up enough change to buy a loaf of bread for the kids’ lunches.
Occasionally, $3 is a big ask… and I don’t smoke, have never gambled (not so much as a Lotto ticket) and don’t drink when I can’t afford it.
For DPF to say that because 94% of people find the money “without any problem” could only have been written by someone who’s never been truly poor.
But I’ve never missed getting my children to the doctor when they needed it (which, after hours, was an expensive trip across the Wainui hill and back), or paying for whatever medication they were prescribed. I’d very occasionally have to beg and borrow, and because the people I was asking knew I didn’t throw my money down the pokies or across the bar they were forthcoming.
Anyone who claims they have to leave their children ill because of a $3 part charge is either a wastrel or an idiot.
July 15th, 2010 at 3:46 pm
Sorry Big Bruv and everybody else …. but as somebody who normally pays around $21 or more each time I go for my quarterly re-stock of preventive medication iI know t may not just be $3 for the prescribed medication but $3 for each … then for certain medicines there are extra charges becuase Pharmac doesn’t cover the full cost. I am fortunate to be in a position not to worry about the cost but I can understand the problem some have and I think we should target those that cannot really afford these token charges. There are ways to do this I’m sure if only the poor patient [ in more ways than one] lets the doctor know of the situation.
After all it is only 6% .. surely we are humane enough to handle that.
I would and always have wished that not one in true need should go without despite the wastage on the system of many others, or the ignorance of some as Rex suggests. I fairly quickly in my working life started to pay above average tax and despite my good fortune, and perhaps effort, I have never begrudged those less financial what the State pays. There must be quite a lot of others like me becuase we have had the benefits of a socialistic state for many generations now under both so called right wing governments and the left. For all the selfish moans of the few who write here and similar blogs.
July 15th, 2010 at 3:55 pm
OTGO … passing through South Dunedin I’m pleased to see all the latest Council old peoples houses with solar heating on their roofs … oh that I would think I could afford it … and the higher charges my electric company would charge me becuase I would be didling them out of business
July 15th, 2010 at 3:57 pm
Pete George … have you ever been a tobacco addict? If so you wouldn’t make that comment. Maybe not as bad as other drugs, maybe.
July 15th, 2010 at 4:03 pm
“I am fortunate to be in a position not to worry about the cost but”
Nor should anybody, $21 per quarter, there is not a single person in NZ who cannot afford that and to suggest otherwise is pure bullshit.
July 15th, 2010 at 4:08 pm
I was a pharmacist for 25 years and I am telling you straight, 94% of the 6% who wanted to come back and pay on an unspecified Thursday had a packet of smokes in thier top pocket.
July 15th, 2010 at 4:09 pm
Oh Yes I knew somebody would be sharpening their fingers to answer me …. and yes I too find it hard to understand why somebody cannot find the money to meet the $3 per prescription charge, despite being gouged maybe $45 for the doctor, but the thought horrifies me … there but for the grace of God go I ….. but some are so full of arogance and bullshit they don’t have the brains to think like me.
July 15th, 2010 at 4:11 pm
Poorer New Zealanders are ending up in hospital because they cannot afford to pay for medicines prescribed to them
more than six per cent of the 18,000 people surveyed had put off filling a prescription for financial reasons at least once a year
The current charge for prescription drugs that are subsidised by the Government is a flat $3 fee.
Maori and Pacific people are especially hard-hit
so let all assume that it’s only poor Pasifikans, inclusive of Maori, getting one single $3 prescription per year subsidised by the govt that they cant afford to pay.
Then we’ll go off on some bullshit rant about how it’s only Pasifikans who make bad choices and that its total crap they cant afford 3 bucks when they can afford ciggies and KFC and sky tv
and disregard that it might be a poor white family getting a non subsidised prescription weekly or monthly that has missed out on their medication cos they had to re proritise spending towards power food and fuel ?
funny how you dogs come running rabidly to the whistle, frothing at the mouth, as soon as DPF cries foul on a Pasifikan.
Why is that ?
July 15th, 2010 at 4:12 pm
“despite being gouged maybe $45 for the doctor”
Gouged $45 by a doctor?, hired a bloody lawyer or a plumber latley?
Typical bloody socialist, why do you have a problem paying for a professional persons time and service?
July 15th, 2010 at 4:15 pm
Rex
“Anyone who claims they have to leave their children ill because of a $3 part charge is either a wastrel or an idiot.”
You forgot one group, they are either a wastrel, an idiot or a socialist.
July 15th, 2010 at 4:16 pm
You know what really pisses me off, the methadone losers getting their fix every day are exempt the $3 co-payment.
July 15th, 2010 at 4:25 pm
$3 prescription cost ‘too much for some’
suckers for a good headline and bit of right wing spin eh ?
hahaha…you dumbass hillbillies crack me up no end.
Theres nothing to suggest its the 3 dollar subsidised prescription poor NZers can’t pay or that it’s exclusively a Pasifikan problem.
but hey don’t let me stop you from popping your blue collars in indignation, as if it’ll hide your red necks
as you were…
July 15th, 2010 at 4:25 pm
Honest John
I volunteer every year for 2 weeks in the Philippines and help build houses for slum dwellers. So far I have helped build 7 houses, and paid for 3 of them.
http://www.gk1world.com/
Regards
July 15th, 2010 at 4:28 pm
all very commendable workingman
but what have you done for me and mine lately ?
July 15th, 2010 at 4:46 pm
Cough medicine, paracetamol, sunscreen and viagra.
Shit that was some party!
July 15th, 2010 at 4:48 pm
Something else I’ve noticed from being unemployed right now. The Community Services Card no longer gives you a discount at the doctors surgery unless it’s for emergency services after hours. Not exactly sure what the card is any good for.
July 15th, 2010 at 4:55 pm
Cheap bus rides.
July 15th, 2010 at 5:18 pm
“they don’t have the brains to think like me.”
If I had brains that think like you have jcuknz I’d use buckshot to clear my head.
July 15th, 2010 at 6:04 pm
pollywog (149) Says:
July 15th, 2010 at 4:28 pm
all very commendable workingman
but what have you done for me and mine lately ?
******************************
Why should he do anything? the poor in the Philippines are a damn sight poorer than in this nation. Having been long term unemployed at one point, and been overseas and seen first hand what being poor truly can be, I suggest that you are essentially full of it.
July 15th, 2010 at 6:17 pm
No-one really has a clue as to what prescriptions go unfilled in this country.
It’s a no brainer we need an ePrescribing / RX exchange system in this country and we might get some decent data on this issue.
July 15th, 2010 at 8:16 pm
It is not the prescription charge that is the problem. It is the cost of getting the prescription.
For a person on permanent medication it is quite a money spinner for any PHO – particularly one in a provincial centre that has just one PHO – and quite a cost for anyone on NZ Super.
Their charge for a computer generated REPEAT prescription is $12.50. NO consultation, just bring up the data, print off the scrip, squiggle an initial and bill $12.50.
Since one GP rotates the duty each day it is money for jam. My sources tell me that he/she does up to 100 scripts per hour if required – not bad revenue for an already taxpayer subsidised activity.
July 15th, 2010 at 8:27 pm
Why should he do anything? the poor in the Philippines are a damn sight poorer than in this nation. Having been long term unemployed at one point, and been overseas and seen first hand what being poor truly can be, I suggest that you are essentially full of it.
cheers for that Stu.
the thing is, the flow on effects of being poor in the phillipines doesn’t affect us directly. So maybe it’s a case of fixing up our own backyard before we go fixing up someone elses.
you reckon ?
July 15th, 2010 at 9:50 pm
Talking about doctors rorting the system. In Colorado it is legal to use marajana [ however that is spelt -- grass/pot ] if it is for medicinal purposes. So you find a doctor who first asks “Are you in pain?’ you answer “yes” and then he asks “Will it hurt you” or words to that effect. You say “No” and he writes out your prescription. Not sure if it is a sort of licence to buy or a one off prescription. Anyway one doctor has made a million bucks with these three minute consultations at US$150 a time. It is all ‘perfectly’ legal. If you don’t want to smoke then you can get it mixed in with cookies whatever. The Colorado authorities are tightening things up becuase pot sellers were springing up all over the place and as now or shortly it will not be quite so easy.
July 15th, 2010 at 10:02 pm
big bruv (6,877) Says: July 15th, 2010 at 4:12 pm
“despite being gouged maybe $45 for the doctor”
Gouged $45 by a doctor?, hired a bloody lawyer or a plumber latley?
Typical bloody socialist, why do you have a problem paying for a professional persons time and service?
The whole point of a health service is for it to be as free as possible as the country can afford. I remember when going to my GP cost me 50 cents [ admittedly I was only earning $30 a fourtnight at the time and supporting wife and son.] Medical services should be ‘free’ and covered by our taxes. The lawyer and plumber are private businesses whose services are not paid for by the taxpayer. The ‘rich pricks’ stuffed up the trades in New Zealand when they cut down on apprenticeships which led to the current situation. Meanwhile they have been training lawyers like it was going out of fashion … absurd!
July 15th, 2010 at 10:48 pm
I volunteer every year for 2 weeks in the Philippines and help build houses for slum dwellers. So far I have helped build 7 houses, and paid for 3 of them.
Relevance?
Are you seeking congratulations? If that’s what makes you happy, good on you.
July 16th, 2010 at 1:34 pm
As a Kiwi who was an expat in Africa for many years I am amazed at the way NZers take what they have for granted.
We shold have an exchange programme where we send all these people who come up with excuses to some really hard and impoverished places in Southern and West Africa where I lived. They will come realising that a govt that even bothers to offer them $3 scrips is a God-sent.
http://www.angel-charlene.com
July 17th, 2010 at 11:51 am
@ben
relevance?
I was rising to and taking the bait from Honest John where he said “Scrub – i’m still waiting for someone from the far right to make up some story about doing volunteer work in disadvantaged communities.”
So I am now waiting for him to say I am making it up.