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Tuesday, June 02, 2009

Pregnancy a sovereignty issue?


Koreans: Let student have baby in NZ
Korean community leaders are urging the Government to allow a pregnant Korean student to have her baby in New Zealand. Immigration NZ has told horticulture student Sung Won Kim, 31, that she is not eligible for a further permit and has to leave New Zealand by June 21 for becoming pregnant. She has offered to pay her full medical and maternity costs up front - because she does not want to be apart from her husband, also on a temporary permit, who runs a car business in New Lynn - but Immigration says she would still be putting additional strain on New Zealand's stretched maternity services. In a letter dated May 22 to Ms Kim, Immigration NZ wrote: "The fact that you are prepared to pay for all medical treatment has been accepted. However, NZ has a shortage of maternity care specialists and midwives, therefore you would be putting additional strain on our already short services." The high-profile committee behind the proposed $1.5 million Korean Garden in Takapuna has written to Immigration Minister Jonathan Coleman urging him to intervene. Dr Coleman, who is also MP for Northcote, said he had asked for supporting documents on Ms Kim's application to be forwarded to him after Stanley Park, spokesman for the committee and former director of the Korean Society, telephoned him yesterday. "Mr Park told me he had an individual immigration case he wanted me to look at, and I have asked him to write to me with the details." Korean Society president Paul Yoo, speaking through a translator, said the society would be expressing concerns over how the Immigration NZ decision would affect New Zealand as an international study destination. He said that the shortage of maternity services should not be used as an excuse to prevent students from completing their studies here. "Women who are married or in a stable relationship, and who are able to pay for their own medical costs, should not be denied their right to have a baby." Mr Park said the immigration ruling would set a dangerous precedent. "It will make temporary migrants who become pregnant go into hiding, and avoid health checks and doctors' visits. This will make it dangerous not just for the mother-to-be, but also for the baby," he said. "I think the immigration decision to bar temporary residents from having babies is just lacking in common sense."

Hmmm – It seems to me that the excuse of putting strains on our public health service is just that, an excuse. This pregnant woman has offered to pay cash up front for the services, and let’s be honest our medical services are so hard up for cash, we all know if they were offered the chance to make extra money from overseas pregnant woman, they would jump at it. I don’t think the issue is about money, because they could throw a couple of surcharges on top the way we do with education, this isn’t money or resources, it’s sovereignty. Children born here could become NZ citizens AND IT IS THIS that concerns immigration officials, the precedent being set isn’t as Stanley Park suggests one where pregnant overseas women will go into hiding fearful that they will be deported, the precedent Immigration officials fear developing is one where women purposely get pregnant to have babies born with NZ citizenship. Local politics may come into play here, the Korean community have a lot of muscle on the Shore and Immigration Minister Jonathan Coleman is conscious of local muscle like any politician is, but the possibility of being flooded with overseas students trying to have babies here to gain citizenship for their offspring at a time when the economy tanks causing resentment and cultural friction is a headache the Immigration department would never want to contend with.

I see her appeal being declined.

4 Comments:

At 2/6/09 9:41 am, Blogger Tim Selwyn said...

The citizenship law was changed in the last term so it is no longer automatic that a person born in NZ is a citizen - though, of course, we know from many cases highlighted by the media that it is difficult to be evicted if you have a kid born here.

 
At 2/6/09 12:16 pm, Anonymous Anonymous said...

affect New Zealand as an international study destination.

THIS WAS IN WHICH PARTY MANIFESTO BEFORE THE ELECTION?

 
At 2/6/09 12:54 pm, Blogger Idiot/Savant said...

Children born here could become NZ citizens

Only if they would otherwise be stateless.

This is simply petty discriminatory behaviour, and I expect better from our government.

 
At 2/6/09 2:18 pm, Anonymous Anonymous said...

THEY SHOULD ALL BE SENT HOME WHEN THEY FINISH PAYING TO STUDY HERE.THEY ARE BUYING A PASSPORT OTHERWISE NOT EDUCATION.THAT MUCH IS OBVIOUS!

 

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