http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-23475583

Could it be the start of something?

Could be the start of an epic thread on how to lose weight you need to go on some sort of fad diet.

Earthquake scapegoat.

This is nothing new, there was some fuss last year when some Brits were refused visas on the grounds of weight.

It was the same when I moved here 5+ years ago, part of the visa requirement was a medical, they could have refused me on a number of health matters, obesity being just one. Luckily I am proper lanky, so no probs for me 8)

So after accepting him and allowing him to make his home there for 6 years they are now going to kick him out – what an incredibly callous and inhumane attitude.

Immigration officials said Albert Buitenhuis, who weighs 130kg (286 pounds), did not have “an acceptable standard of health”.

Well it would appear he is within their standards, apparently :

New Zealand has one of the highest obesity rates in the developed world, with nearly 30% of people overweight.

Of course if they were kicking him out for being South African I could understand.

Yet NZ authorities are happy for Kim Dotcom to stay.

If we threw out people who neglect their health there’d be hardly anyone left!

<That’s not attacking the NZ government decision, more a shocking revelation>

As we try to plot a course through significantly lower economic growth over the next 20 years I suspect the costs of people neglecting their own health are going to become a more and more important issue as the scale and costs of the problem become evident… especially as the NHS is funded from the general tax pot rather than those that use it most, pay the most…

As we try to plot a course through significantly lower economic growth over the next 20 years I suspect the costs of people neglecting their own health

I discussed this point with someone some time ago, they pointed out that I liked to ride bikes, surf, snowboard and do other risky things that others may not do day to day. So where do you draw the line at negligence? They were a smoker, so may be that’s how we got onto the discussion.

In NZ they have the ACC levy on things, if you have an accident or are injured it pays for your treatment and you can get compensation if you can’t work. Injurylayers4U etc, just doesn’t exist there, third party insurance is only needed for damage to property. In fact when I was there, car insurance wasn’t legally required. Places like ski resorts have to contribute to ACC and I think you pay it too through tax on earnings..can’t quite remember.

The bloke who’s being refused a visa doesn’t meet the requirements for said visa. He can go away, lose the weight and probably get the visa again. He’s not obtained citizenship and then being asked to leave is he? He’s a migrant worker and there are visa conditions he needs to meet.

Yet NZ authorities are happy for Kim Dotcom to stay.

They’re not, I believe his extradition proceedings are still on going

😆

I wish night clubs had a similar policy.

He can go away, lose the weight and probably get the visa again.

That’s a very flippant way of looking at it.

NZ has been his home for 6 years, undoubtedly he has job/employment connection and friends, he would now have to uproot himself and his wife, she would possibly lose her job if she has one – or are you suggesting she stays behind?, set up home in a new country, find work, loose some weight, and then uproot himself all over again to come back. He’s accused of being overweight, not of committing a crime ffs.

What is it with SA chefs? Quite a lot of hotel restaurants in West Africa are run by clinically obese SA chefs. One in Ghana was almost completely spherical, I spent ages wondering how he managed to lie on a bed….

I discussed this point with someone some time ago, they pointed out that I liked to ride bikes, surf, snowboard and do other risky things that others may not do day to day. So where do you draw the line at negligence?

tbh I think that’s an attempt at diversion. There’s no known medical benefit to smoking. Government guidelines for eating and drinking are in place and people choose to ignore them.

On the other hand there’s plenty of documented evidence of the (mental and physical) health benefits of participating in sports. At least you’re making an attempt at looking after yourself if you come off and break a bone…

On the other hand there’s plenty of documented evidence of the (mental and physical) health benefits of participating in sports.

Some sports have considerable more risks associated to them than others. Do these riskier sports have greater health benefits ? If not, dmorts point stands imo.

Does seem a little unfair on the face of it. Is that the risk you take though, by applying for a limited working visa rather than residency? Hopefully they might spell out for him what they expect and give him a chance. The goalposts for him have moved, perhaps similar to the UK laws about partner earnings.

Perhaps it will become more commonplace, as desirable countries can afford to be highly selective over immigration. Equally, if he’d proven to be dishonest in his time there he’d be just as unwelcome (probably more so in fact).

He can go away, lose the weight and probably get the visa again.

That’s a very flippant way of looking at it.

It is but that tends to be how immigration authorities are. They don’t tend to be too compassionate. Being overweight will be just one of many health criteria they will look at. Their responsibility is to serve people who are citizens, it’s an attempt to maximise/preserve the resources available to them. This saga is the sad outcome of that.

He can fix his condition. I wonder what they would have said if he had developed terminal cancer or MS?

Regarding risker sports vs benefit. You might say running is low risk but then if you ran a lot all of your life you might end up needing knee or hip replacement in later life.

I wish night clubs had a similar policy.

A lack of such policy in the past has ensured I’ve not gone home alone on a number of occasions. 😉

“Of course if they were kicking him out for being South African I could understand.”

Ernie, as a fellow South African myself, I would like to hear why you say the above .

Selective bigotry? “Humour”?

No just a resident attention seeker

No just a resident attention seeker

This

Ernie, as a fellow South African myself, I would like to hear why you say the above .

because he’s a good racist not a bad one, and as a South African (white only) you still only have the same limited rights as gingers and fat people. That we can invoke the irony defence means you,re fair game. Sorry. 😉

Some friends of ours wanted to move to New Zealand, it fell through for other reasons but they had real issues with getting approval as their son has CF. Basically they don’t want people who’ll cost their health system.

😆

I discussed this point with someone some time ago, they pointed out that I liked to ride bikes, surf, snowboard and do other risky things that others may not do day to day. So where do you draw the line at negligence? They were a smoker, so may be that’s how we got onto the discussion.

It can however be argued that risky sports are healthy both physically and mentally. Grass roots sports also develop professional athletes who go on to contribute to a nations international prestige through winning competitions.

Being fat serves no purpose unless you’re living in a post-apocalyptic scenario where there is little food.

country in control of immigration shocker!