You thought Virginians were tough when it comes to illegal immigration? New Zealanders are even tougher with would-be legal immigrants, especially those that might impose an extra burden on the social safety net.
New Zealand has just nixed an immigration request by a Welsh woman on the grounds that she is too fat. Welchman Richie Trezise, a submarine cable specialist, managed to lose enough weight to gain permission from the health-conscious Kiwis to enter the country. But his wife Rowan didn’t make the cut. If he wants to take the job, he’ll have to go to New Zealand without her.
The (London) Telegraph quotes Robyn Toomath, an endocrinologist and spokesman for Fight the Obesity Epidemic, as saying she opposes the stigmatizing of obese people. “However, the immigration department’s focus is different. It cannot afford to import people into the country who are going to be a significant drain on our health resources. You can see the logic in assessing if there is a significant health cost associated with this individual and that would be a reason for them not coming in.”
A “significant drain on our health resources”… Where have we heard that before?