Man to fat to live in NZ!

[Higgins86]

BBC News - South African chef 'too fat' to live in New Zealand



Probably get ripped apart for this but I actually agree with this! Despite the fact he has tried to lose weight he is still massively overweight and is not an asset to the country of New Zealand and they are right to deny him access to the countrys healthcare system.

 

[MaggieD]

BBC News - South African chef 'too fat' to live in New Zealand

Probably get ripped apart for this but I actually agree with this! Despite the fact he has tried to lose weight he is still massively overweight and is not an asset to the country of New Zealand and they are right to deny him access to the countrys healthcare system.

Well, if that's the straight-up story, then I guess NZ is sending the message that their national healthcare system can't afford immigrants who are likely to make heavy use of their system.

My brain tells me it's not because he weighs 286#, but because he is using much more than his share of NZ's healthcare services.

It's a privilege to live and work in another country. I do think, though, that a country should make those kinds of requirements very clear. Had he known he would be denied a work visa, he may well have lost the weight.

 

[joko104]

It's their country and he's not a citizen so no problem with it.

 

[rocket88]

They're just worried about him causing the island to sink. You know, like Guam will....

 

[notquiteright]

Seems a bit of do as I say and not as I do. According to the article 30% of the kiwis are overwieght. This chef was 60 pounds heavier when he first came to New Zealand 6 years ago and his medical was accepted then. Not sure just how much of a burden immigrants are to New Zealand- I haven't heard of them complaining of millions sneaking in from say Australia or Sumatra.

If I was to theorize on New Zealand's health care financial burden I'd say it is fat assed Kiwis not fat South African chefs.

Looks more like grandstanding than effective leadership.

 

[Higgins86]

Seems a bit of do as I say and not as I do. According to the article 30% of the kiwis are overwieght. This chef was 60 pounds heavier when he first came to New Zealand 6 years ago and his medical was accepted then. Not sure just how much of a burden immigrants are to New Zealand- I haven't heard of them complaining of millions sneaking in from say Australia or Sumatra.

If I was to theorize on New Zealand's health care financial burden I'd say it is fat assed Kiwis not fat South African chefs.

Looks more like grandstanding than effective leadership.

Difference being though is that overweight Kiwi citizens have paid into their healthcare system from a young age where as an immigrant obviously has not.

 

[RDS]

Almost similar law applies in US. Under federal discrimination laws, weight is not a protected class which means your employer can fire you due to your weight.

 

[Rainman05]

Obesity is the disease of the XXIth century.

 

[ecofarm]

Almost similar law applies in US. Under federal discrimination laws, weight is not a protected class which means your employer can fire you due to your weight.

That's because many jobs require being in shape. Obese firefighters wouldn't be effective.

 

[notquiteright]

Difference being though is that overweight Kiwi citizens have paid into their healthcare system from a young age where as an immigrant obviously has not.

Well I just looked up the New Zealand immigrant break down and it changes my thoughts on it a bit. According to Wiki New Zealand has 23% of it's population born someplace other. (so 23% have not paid in since an early age.) But it also means like in this country, immigrants can be seen as THE problem rather than a hard look at the 'natives'.

A part I think you skip over is when this South African FIRST applied for a work permit he was 60 pounds heavier- he has lost weight- and he was ACCEPTED back then. I can see, I suppose, a new requirement on future immigrants to be declared 'fit' (whatever in the blazes that it), though at 1% of the population just what has been accomplished.

You see New Zealand has for the past 4 years restricted migration in to 1% of their population. I wonder just how many of the new arrivals are overweight like the 1.32 million kiwis who are? (the 45,000 new arrivals per year are less than 4% of the wide bodies called citizens. If 30% of the new folks are as fat as the 'natives' then it is 1% of the widebody population already there)

Not sure the death rate of the newcomers but it isn't too far off to say 10 to 15% of the widebody Kiwi population is import- the rest all native.

It just looks like 'natives' stuffing their faces and blaming the FNG for their problems.

 

[DDD]

BBC News - South African chef 'too fat' to live in New Zealand

Probably get ripped apart for this but I actually agree with this! Despite the fact he has tried to lose weight he is still massively overweight and is not an asset to the country of New Zealand and they are right to deny him access to the countrys healthcare system.

Almost similar law applies in US. Under federal discrimination laws, weight is not a protected class which means your employer can fire you due to your weight.

Obesity is the disease of the XXIth century.

Hopefully discrimination would teach them to stop overeating to death!

It is decision to be fat. These issues should remind people what professional limitations are associated with deciding to be fat.

 

[Medusa]

Almost similar law applies in US. Under federal discrimination laws, weight is not a protected class which means your employer can fire you due to your weight.

maybe the doctors should teach teh people how to stay fit rather than to teach how to lose weight

 

[Fisher]

unless he is like 5'2" 286 is fat but hardly someone who is going to keel over any second.

 

[ChrisL]

Imagine the sheer outrage if the United States ever attempted such a thing! :rofl

 

[Medusa]

They're just worried about him causing the island to sink. You know, like Guam will....

kim kardashian's island ass would save the NZ

 

[ChrisL]

That's because many jobs require being in shape. Obese firefighters wouldn't be effective.

What about cops? Plenty of fat cops out there.

 

[Aunt Spiker]

BBC News - South African chef 'too fat' to live in New Zealand



Probably get ripped apart for this but I actually agree with this! Despite the fact he has tried to lose weight he is still massively overweight and is not an asset to the country of New Zealand and they are right to deny him access to the countrys healthcare system.

I have a hard time believing it - other than her word, is there any verifiable proof?

What if he was denied for another reason - and this is her attempt at making a big deal out of it? And what does he have to say?

 

[specklebang]

While this seems unfair, I can support the concept of holding immigrants to some standards. America seems to not distinguish between valuable immigrants and worthless immigrants.

 

[clownboy]

Hopefully discrimination would teach them to stop overeating to death!

It is decision to be fat. These issues should remind people what professional limitations are associated with deciding to be fat.

That's understandable. What's not is that the guy has been losing weight, going in the direction they want. They accepted him and renewed his visa for seven years when he was heavier than he is now. Kinda sends the opposite message of what they desire. Lose weight and we'll stop issuing you a visa.

That said, are chefs really so rare in NZ that the guy gets a work visa for the last seven years?

 

[WCH]

They're just worried about him causing the island to sink. You know, like Guam will....

They do have a geological imbalance down there. They can't afford to take any chances.

 

[Higgins86]

Well I just looked up the New Zealand immigrant break down and it changes my thoughts on it a bit. According to Wiki New Zealand has 23% of it's population born someplace other. (so 23% have not paid in since an early age.) But it also means like in this country, immigrants can be seen as THE problem rather than a hard look at the 'natives'.

A part I think you skip over is when this South African FIRST applied for a work permit he was 60 pounds heavier- he has lost weight- and he was ACCEPTED back then. I can see, I suppose, a new requirement on future immigrants to be declared 'fit' (whatever in the blazes that it), though at 1% of the population just what has been accomplished.

You see New Zealand has for the past 4 years restricted migration in to 1% of their population. I wonder just how many of the new arrivals are overweight like the 1.32 million kiwis who are? (the 45,000 new arrivals per year are less than 4% of the wide bodies called citizens. If 30% of the new folks are as fat as the 'natives' then it is 1% of the widebody population already there)

Not sure the death rate of the newcomers but it isn't too far off to say 10 to 15% of the widebody Kiwi population is import- the rest all native.

It just looks like 'natives' stuffing their faces and blaming the FNG for their problems.

well its obviously becoming a problem for the NZ gov and unfourtuntly for them they can't force their own citizens to slim down but they can control what immigrants they allow to stay.

 

[ecofarm]

What about cops? Plenty of fat cops out there.

Few, if any, obese. We're talking about 300lbs.

 

[notquiteright]

well its obviously becoming a problem for the NZ gov and unfourtuntly for them they can't force their own citizens to slim down but they can control what immigrants they allow to stay.

Which is a problem for the NZ Government? The 27% of the population they consider 'native' that are fat asses or the 3% newcomers who are fat? Why can't they 'force' the native fatties to lose it... it is a nationalized health care system. To hear Yanks rant about such systems the Government controls the health care spigot. why not tether health care priority to gross vehicle weight? Why not tier service with the citizens personal responsibility to at least stay close to the height weight thing?

Oh I understand the short sheet mindset that drives such decisons, just marvel at the absurdity of it all. IF 30% of the newcomers are as fat as the 'natives' a decade's worth is 3% of the total population, so unable to affect change in the remaining 27% of the population that are widebodies, they choose to not put the newcomers on a program but simple kick 'em to the curb! :doh

Seems better for all to give the newcomers a chance to go on a program and show the 27% remaining fat asses how it is done. 5 years to git 'er done. You can't sit and argue the medical costs of the fat asses for 5 years will break the kiwi government.

it sounds more like pandering to the base- kick the competition out any excuse is better than none.

I used to shoot out in Raton NM with an Ex-pat who moved to new Zealand. he said it was like moving back to the USofA in the 50's. I guess so...

 

[DiAnna]

Given the fact that the guy has indeed been losing weight, kicking him out of the country seems specious and unfair. That said, their country, their rules. :shrug:

 

[ChrisL]

Few, if any, obese. We're talking about 300lbs.

Maybe not obese, but certainly not what I would consider to be in shape.