People are questioning whether or not New Zealand taxpayers should have to pay to rescue foreign tourists from our mountains.

Terry Harch, 29, was airlifted to Dunedin Hospital last Friday suffering frost bite after activating his distress beacon four days earlier.

He spent the following days waiting for a break in the weather until Search and Rescue teams could locate him.

Stuff has reported that the mission cost $150,000.

Andrew Dickens has asked why we should have to pay for it, and whether or not the cost should be borne by the Australian government.

LISTEN TO ANDREW DICKENS ABOVE