ZB ZB
Live now
Start time
Playing for
End time
Listen live
Listen to NAME OF STATION
Up next
Listen live on
ZB

The Huddle: Govt's quarantine charges / rich get subsidised medicine?

Author
Newstalk ZB staff,
Publish Date
Wed, 29 Jul 2020, 8:50PM
(Photo / File)
(Photo / File)

The Huddle: Govt's quarantine charges / rich get subsidised medicine?

Author
Newstalk ZB staff,
Publish Date
Wed, 29 Jul 2020, 8:50PM

Simon Wilson and Trish Sherson join Heather du Plessis-Allan on today's Huddle.

The Government's quarantine charges have been revealed, and will only apply to people who leave New Zealand after the legislation comes into effect and those who are visiting New Zealand temporarily.

The decision has left the coalition Government divided.

Mr Wilson says he sides with Greens co-leader James Shaw, who is a big supporter of the laws, noting practicality as an issue at stake.

"We need buy-in from people for all the regulations around the border control, and I think once we start charging people who have no idea when they were overseas that they were going to have to pay like this... they are going to feel entitled to break the rules."

Ms Sherson differs, saying she was disappointed with the laws introduced.

"None of us knew where we were going to be in the long-grass right now in 2020."

Ms Sherson says back in March, Deputy Prime Minster and Foreign Minister Winston Peters made calls to kiwis overseas to come home now, with repeated calls.

"I think this should be everyone pays."

Ms Sherson described the regime as a "headline policy".

Meanwhile, the New Zealand initiative believes wealthy people should not get subsidised medicine.

Ms Sherson says some things are not taken into account.

"To me the issues is this - it's very simple to say wealthy should pay and they should have health insurance, but then you have to also pick through the tax system to weed out those who are going to pay for themselves... but there are complexities in doing that."

Mr Wilson agrees with Ms Sherson.

"When you remove universality from something, so complicated to keep it fair and make it efficient."

Take your Radio, Podcasts and Music with you